Of Struggles, Pain, Power and Battle
by ThunderGirl15
Summary: Naruto is one who despite all the pain the surrounds him keeps on going. He fights to live and fix past mistakes. Both he and Sasuke dwell on the past. Together they might find a way out of destruction.
1. Chapter 1

-1_This being my first fiction I encourage ALL critique, If it can help me improve my work and such flame away! I think I'm supposed to put a disclaimer in here somewhere so for the record __I own none of the Naruto characters. __It will get pretty graphic and very emo. NO SCRATCH THAT, very dark in some places. You have been warned! Read, Review, Enjoy! _

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**Of Struggles, Pain, Power and Battle**

By Spirited-Dragon

As he lay still and in pain being ruthlessly pounded into by his "friend," his mind drifted to when this treated he so very deserved had started. Naruto had always been different, that much he knew already, why he was avoided like plague and left alone he could overlook but the fact remained what had he done to deserve the dehumanisation of this? He could feel his friend close to a release and thanked any higher power it had been somewhat easier for him than a few days ago where he felt himself tear and a hot liquid of his own had seeped from his entrance. His "friend" tensed and released the seed of his pleasure into him once more and then as a silent mockery of their relationship leaned down and kissed him gently, plying his lips as he himself lay motionless and tried his best not to be sick and scream his frustration. Smirking his assaulter only said but a few words "Same time tomorrow ne?," he rose and made moves to change and leave the small dorm room, "Oh, and I had fun tonight. Truth be told you're one. Great. FUCK." With that he left the room and left Naruto with silent tears making tracks along his skin and with a question weighing on his mind. _"Why am I so weak?"_

The morning after a steady stream of faint sunlight made it through the barely there curtains and revealed a beautiful if somewhat distressing sight. Impossibly blonde hair splayed across a tear stained pillow, whisker marks marring a cute, gentle, trusting face, a chiselled, toned body tangled in sheets stained with his blood. As his eyes fluttered open and drifted to the cat clock on his wall he sat up slowly and winced as memories returned to him. He did his daily routine which consisted of a slow boiling shower where trying his best to scour the _dirt _off his body and then he dressed in silence trying his best to not look at the mess of bruises and other possessive marks on his body. Grabbing some water on the way out he made the short walk to his school and the morning registration.

He limped into the classroom and was greeted by many things, whispers, insults, pity and a knowing smirk. He limped to his desk somewhere near the back and did his best to feign happy as he smiled to the girl next to him "Good morning Hinata-chan! Sleep well?"

"I-I, well, Morning Naruto-Kun, y-yes and y-y-you?" was the reply the girl stuttered gracefully.

"On a day like this? Of course! I was a bit hot but it was a pleasant night…" Naruto trailed off as he thought how that statement could be interpreted by a certain someone, his thought train was cut off by his form tutor shouting.

"ALRIGHT! Calm down class and let me at the _very least _register who is here," Iruka-sensai was a kind man, a spiked pony tail and a scar across the bridge of his nose distinguished him, he always had a soft spot for Naruto and the other students made use of the fact in the daily torture of him. He never had enough time anymore to see his favourite blond but even he didn't notice something was wrong as he failed to witness something worse than death itself. If one were to look into Naruto's eyes one would see the life draining away and his soul slowly dying. "Today we have a new student, He's transferring from the esteemed Up-town school I dare not speak the name of for fear of getting maimed!" The class grumbled at the thought of a snooty rich kid patronising them or trying to fit in with the commoners, so to speak.

The form door was pushed open softy and in stepped a expressionless pale boy, raven hair framed his graceful features, uniform gracefully adorning him with a slightly askew tie, sleeves pushed up to his elbows, a black leather wristband clung to his left wrist, a messenger bag hung loosely across his chest and true to form piercing eyes surveyed who was worthy of his time. No one but a mop of blonde did peak his interest, the only set of eyes not looking at him but instead out the window at a bird circling high above the tarmac. He was noted. "Introduce yourself." whispered Iruka when the boy failed to do so on his own authority.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, I'm 16 and I have no interest in any of you I have two goals in life and neither is of any concern to you." and with that very blunt speech he passed the longing stares of many a pupil hoping he would sit next to him and sat next to an obviously not caring Naruto.

Naruto turned his head slowly and shock was evident in his eyes, he almost said something, he almost locked eyes with this captivating new comer. Almost being the imperative word as he wasn't stupid enough after years of training, especially since his ever gracing "teacher" was but a few seats away. "Name?" questioned, more like demanded, Sasuke as the class resumed gossiping and such during registration, to which Naruto replied in a soft mumble. "What? At least speak loud enough for humans to hear you dobe." Anger flashed through obsidian eyes "Or are you that much of a looser, reject you've forgotten how to be human?" A deep, hoarse voice was the next thing that was heard.

"Teme, what did you call me? Ever thought you're going deaf? I spoke perfectly loud enough! My name is Naruto Uzumaki and don't you forget it because it's the only time I will EVER tell you. Please move from me and sit next to someone who appreciates your hair on the same level you do pretty-boy!" Naruto growled softly and stormed out.

He walked heavy and quickly to the stairwell that led to the roof, he hadn't reacted to an insult since that fateful day so many years ago and he knew what this would cost him. He breathed in deeply and pushed open a weighty door and stumbled onto the schools roof, gravely grey surfaces surrounded him and a chain link fence about three metres high caged him in from freedom. He walked over to where an impressive water storage tower stood and sunk down cradling his head thinking through a way to escape his plethora of problems.

"**Yo, Brat, you're so pathetic. If you let me out maybe people would respect you more but as you are…ha! I've seen kids in reception with more fight than you." **A relentless taunting voice inside Naruto's head added to his very predictable "teenage angst," He supposed this was part of the reason people found him strange as for as long as he could remember there had been a power struggle between him and this voice and occasionally it would take over letting Naruto watch from the inside out as he ruined the lives of people he held dear. **"You can't hold me forever brat, we all know you're too weak, you're seal on me is weakening and one day I will finally get what's mine and then I will do what you're to afraid to and return the favour to all those who hurt us a thousand fold."**

"SHUT UP! I hate you! Why do you even exist? All you do is ruin my life and destroy the bonds I have with people, if you claim to know as much as you say then you would realise it's better this way. It's just better…" Naruto having regained control of the seal he had created to shut the voice in and keep him in control shook violently and sweat poured from every gland, he repeated the mantra "It's better this way," half heartedly as deep down even his _unbreakable_ spirit knew it was a lie, yet another power struggle.

A rain drop filtered its way down Naruto's face and his eyes fluttered open. The sky was darkening and clouds heavy with precipitation looked ready to burst. "Oh shit, what time is it?" he said to no one in particular, then he violently shook his jumper sleeve up, the elastic well past doing what it was meant to do, and saw it was just gone five thirty. He was late.

Jumping to his feet Naruto ran down the roof stairs and flung himself through the school doors, he silently prayed to get home before "he" did otherwise hell would have to be paid, paid in the most violent, blood thirsty way possible. His feet ran with expert speed and his thighs and sides started to burn as his body was pushed to the limit, out of routine he took himself down streets and side alleys, over walls, through fields and all these were unnoticed by Naruto. Just another blur. He had only one thing to worry about and it was dawning on him as his apartment neared him, that even if he did make it he'd be walking into school tomorrow with more than the usual ache. But no! He could fight it this time, he wouldn't be the weak pushover, he would get the strength to take control of his life and prove his worth as a person. As a human. **"As if brat. He's already left." **The ever eternal voice chuckled and as he pushed open his door, out of breath muscles screaming he saw a note meticulously arranged on his dining table.

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_Review people! I want to know what you're thinking...Questions, comments, random drug talks all welcome._


	2. The Calm before the Storm

-1_Alright __**Chapter 2 **__is up and ready. Sorry for the short length of it it's just i wanted to set the tension before the big thing (which I hope I have achieved)...Oh who is he? I will reveal it soon or at least give you some clues, anyone who guesses gets...um...a dedication and a cyber something (ha ha randomness)._

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Of Struggles, Pain, Power and Battle

Chapter 2

The Calm before the Storm 

Naruto limped slowly to the table on account of his body exceeding even his amazing stamina's limit and overdrive was not an option, and picked up the note wearily as if this thing of no value could harm his being. As he saw it was indeed his "friend" who left the note, printed in small identically spaced cursive was the following words.

_**Naruto Pet,**_

_**How you disappoint me. I had come to think after all this time we have been together you would've learnt about how I feel about your inconsistencies. Remember what I had told you during that first week roughly a year ago? Ha, I doubted you would, I said I would be at your apartment at FIVE in the evening every day, should you be late you would suffer. I would never wait for the likes of you. Filthy fake scum, I see what you for what you are and I know what you did. Don't forget that. I know.**_

_**Why don't you come over to mine when you get this? Every minute after five thirty will be on your head thought, don't forget that. Oh and do take care.**_

_**Lots of Love **_

_**Your Master. **_

He stared. He Blinked. Naruto felt his heart beat faster, and still he stood there in shock. The harsh words coupled with mocking undertones of "love" and "concern" crippled him every time. The time was now, five fourty-nine, he had several options and both of them left him in pain and with another part of his soul torn beyond repair. He COULD go and suffer now but that would mean atoning for his lateness and faults in general. Pain. He Could not go and try to live for himself again because after all he was stronger than this, stronger than this person. Right? That would eventually lead to a paranoid break down when he caught up with Naruto and maybe disciplined him in school. That had happened once before and Naruto had no desire to go down that road once again. He grudgingly fought against his instincts and the laughter in his head and made his way over to his tormentors house.

Roughly around Six ten he stood panting at the front door, his muscles not used to this treatment were past the point of pain but bordering on total failure. Laboured breathes broke the heavy silence and he lifted his palm to ring the doorbell before kneeling on the floor. In waiting, in this gap between future fate he couldn't help wonder how it had come to this, him being lower than a common dog (or fox if you will) living for the sole purpose of. Well he had no reason for living especially now that his master knew about what he had done, the sins committed by him onto several. He had fallen beyond the lowest bar of low and now he had to make sure the life he lived, painful as it may be, continued to flow and beat in a steady rhythm because this was the last and final town. This was the home he had made and people had come to accept him, past mistake and old scars be damned he would never hurt a single one of those around him. He would protect them till the end. A soft light shone down on him and a menacing low voice spoke words to him. "Hello Naruto-_koi_ Nice day out?" The figure reached down and dragged our hero into house by his hair, ignoring muffled sounds of pain, he dragged Naruto to a night where he would pay dearly at his hands. For two simple reasons this was happening, because he knew secrets untold and because he had the power to.

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_Reviews and criticisms are welcome, also a **Beta reader** would help because then I can make sure this story is all it could be...after all it's my BABY sob sob...now CLICK the damn review button!_


	3. Past Mistakes Paid in Blood and Sweat

-1_**Chapter three **__for you all. Read and review before anything else! I own nothing but a twisted plot line and several ideal on which none shall ever be true sigh damn. For all those wondering (I wonder who you are I really do) Past things will be revealed slowly because I want to make sure the story doesn't unfold too quickly as the relations between several people aren't even happening yet! (The__** voice **__will turn up sooner or later I hope ha ha) Enjoy and don't be sick. You have been warned. XD_

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Of Struggles, Pain, Power and Battle

By Spirited Dragon 

Chapter 3

Past Mistakes paid in Blood and Sweat

A flurry of punches and well aimed kicks rained down on Naruto, "Have fun disobeying me did you? I thought we had come to an understand demon, but…" a kick. "I guess…" a punch "I was oh so very wrong…" a slap. The soft lighting overhead was almost ironic as this would be how one would spend time with the person they loved, instead here Naruto was lying out of breathe struggling to breathe, bruises almost forming and blood dripping onto a pristine carpet. He curled himself up against the protest of his body and shivered as the decider of his fate reached down and cupped his chin in his hands. "Come now pet, you know this is for your own good. Without my guidance you'd still be running from the past and what you did."

"Haven't I paid enough for what he did?" A weak trembling voice asked.

"He, HE? You talk as if _he _were a different person but you forget. _You _are_ he _and_ he _is_ you _and together you help destroy what I had come to love, I welcomed you into my home! I thought how could one such as yourself always be so happy? And I came to LOVE you, did you realise that when you ripped…when you felt them bleed? No because you have been many things to me back then but now I know you for what you are, a feral monster, no DEMON, who feeds of the pain and suffering of others…"

"I didn't do any of it! It was him he took over and ….Why would I? I loved you and them too much to give you up!! You were the ONLY family I had, do you know he's laughing at me now ,do you realise huh? He controls things like that, he's the one who lusts after the torment and blood yet he hides behind me and lets people think I am the one who commits his sins. He is a coward and a monster and I regret being born with him as a part of me but please! Listen I …"

"Enough!" Naruto's masters eyes flashed a golden colour and rage seemed to consume him, the façade of calm and sadism slid to reveal a demon in their own right, one whose laugh shook the very core of those who dared to listen, one who knew how very right Naruto's rambling was but choose to take the lower and easier road. "Tonight I think I, no you will revisit old lessons and maybe, just maybe if you act the way you know how then I won't bury you like you did my family. Come." With that Naruto was once again dragged by his hair into his masters bedroom and thrown onto his bed.

He was tied tightly, almost hand numbingly, to the headboard and the one who had once been his friend revealed a thin knife blade. He slowly cut through Naruto's clothing hard enough to pierce his skin in several places but not hard enough to be considered more the chicken scratches. He kissed his way down towards the others navel and licked some droplets of blood always from sore wounds and revelled in the fact his pet was shaking and trembling at his touch. He hadn't forgotten but still he fought, even when he knew it was wrong. Maybe the "other" him, term used loosely of course, played a bigger part than he had come to understand. He looked up to see big blue eyes staring at his momentary lapse in concentration. Momentary.

"I love the way you're so responsive. Even after all this time. Let go. Let go for me. Pay. I want you pay for your crimes in your blood and your sweat. Understand?"

Nothing.

"Understand?!" He shouted, and yet still nothing, "Humph, never mind, remember I said every minute would be on your head? Well I make it fourty minutes till you came to your senses and it's time you meet an old acquaintance." He reached around and over Naruto to the side table where he opened the second drawer down to pull out a short heavy leather whip on which where several studded pieces. Dry rusty stains littered it. Naruto's eyes opened wider a fraction and it was then he felt a familiar taste in his mouth, the sickly bitter taste of bile.

**"Brat you are so disgusting you know that? I cannot believe you let us get dragged into this mess."**

"Shut up! This is all your fault why don't you just crawl away and die? Huh? Why don't you? We all know I wouldn't be here if weren't an evil, filthy, lower than trash, blood lusting shit bag!"

**"See if only you could shout that to my kin over there then he would be oh so sorry, better yet pull the seal, I can help you. I can make them pay." **The voice said continuing to growl and snarl at him.

"You've done enough damage just let me… Arghhhhh!" His thought conversation cut off by a hard sharp lash to his abdomen.

"Don't ignore me! I own you, you WILL keep your eyes on me! Look! Look at how you bleed. Like them. I won't show you the mercy of death though, no matter how tempting." Fast, slow, alternating blows rained down on him and each one of the fourty or odd lashes brought down raised welts and angry looking bruises. Soon his front and thighs were a mess of purple and black. Naruto, he was a mess of tears, red raw eyes and a sore voice broken from the screams.

The dominating personality of his master never ceased to amaze Naruto, even when they had some sort of a friendship he was possessive and hated the fact he had to "share" Naruto with all the other people that seemed to flock to the boy. Now he had free reign to do what he wanted when he wanted, it was truly terrifying. Said dominating person slowly undressed himself and flipped Naruto over onto his stomach harshly pushing his face into the bed cutting of a much needed air supply. Naruto began to squirm. He began to writhe. That was until he felt something probing somewhere it really shouldn't **(A/N Just trying to remain not so graphic and that's the polite way of putting it. Really.)** He stilled and bit his lip hard when his masters hand brushed against his prostate bringing not completely unwanted pleasure rippling down his spine. NO. This was wrong. He would fight.

**"Enjoy it brat. I am. It's so much fun seeing you in pain. Just let me use my power. I can get you…US out of this mess you oh so conveniently got us in." **Said the voice.

"No I can fight this myself I don't need your power I can do it myself!" Replied Naruto even though deep down he knew he was close to breaking. So close… As he felt himself pass out from lack of oxygen he knew he had enjoyed it this time. His body betrayed him. His master continued to assault him and he was almost pleased he was close to death. Almost, and in the soft light illuminating the room if one were to look and observe the scene unfolding, they would observe electric red hair plastered to a face that showed only rage, hate and killing intent.

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_I'm pretty sure you can guess by now. Review and guess anyone who gets it right gets as mentioned somewhere before a…thingy. You know you want one. Read and Review or I will send my Scottish wild cat after you. Thanks. - Spirited-Dragon._


	4. Thought Provoking Situations

-1_I__'__m hoping things are progressing and it is interesting for you. This a little insight into Sasuke__'__s life and the morning after, so to speak (I mean really it is but what happened was too brutal so it doesn__'__t seem appropriate.) Enjoy the Fourth Chapter and don__'__t forget to review! Please and thank-you O ._

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Of Struggles, Pain, Power and Battle

By Spirited Dragon 

Chapter 4

Thought Provoking Situations 

Ten after six and something wasn't right. Sasuke could feel it and normal his indifferent silent rage nature would push this feeling aside, or better yet ignore it. This was somehow different though. It gnawed at him as he lay on the floor of room staring at the ceiling musing over the silence that enveloped his household. It almost felt like when he has seen his family and neighbours…pass away thanks to the hands of his homicidal brother. Almost yet not quite. Both representative of this feeling and outside concern yet neither at the same time.

"Hn, what a time to think about that." He grumbled to himself. Only he knew that dragging up the past like this was a sore subject indeed and one best left dredged in the murky depths. It was common knowledge what had happened back at home, well home as in where his old house was. His home didn't exist anymore. It died the day everyone else did. Mollycoddled and wrapped in bubble wrap till he could no longer take it he moved to this part of the city, a small enough area to overlook past tragedies and yet big enough so he wouldn't become bored by backward-ness and barns. More like a self enveloped town really. Plus the weather wasn't too bad either. He slowly smiled at that.

It was only his first day at his new school and already he had a following of adoring girls who would fawn over him. Some things never did change no matter where one would travel to. The only person who refused to acknowledge his presence and was down right rude to him _and_ his hair was a certain boy named Uurumaki. No wait how could he forget that name. Naruto Uzumaki. A manic blonde with obvious psyche problems. See Sasuke liked to think he was able to read people very well and despite what that boy wanted people to think, to him he was like an open book. He had been through something enough to hurt him.

He came to the conclusion it was probably another oversensitive cliché drifter that he had come across as during the one part of the day he had shared with him he noticed Naruto drew people to him regardless of what part of the social hierarchy they were from they seemed to drift towards him. Nothing major, or overly traumatising then. Sasuke realised he had wasted to much time on this boy and silently cursed him from afar. What did he know of the real problems in the world?

He rose and winced slightly as his back cracked. Damn floor. Always against him. Seriously, was the world out to stop his revenge plotting and to ease his teenage angst? World be damned. He padded slowly upstairs from his room to the attic, one of the advantages of being an orphan and rich, and looked around. Of course it would be arranged meticulously in boxes labelled and sorted, nothing less or more would suffice. Soft moonlight filtered through the loft window and he pull the blinds up and pushed it open as wide as possible before, using almost cat-like grace, pulling himself out onto the wide ledge. He sat down dangling his legs over the edge staring at the sky enjoying the feeling of a gentle breeze whipping his hair around into soft feathery touches. Lights polluted the night sky and all but a few stars were hidden from his perceptive view.

Silence rattled through the house he had lived in for less than a week and in his mind he knew this was probably why conversations with himself occurred so frequently. The breeze slowly died out and a lone cloud drifted over the moon, obscuring it from view, paling it's beauty. He turned his head slowly to look back into the attic. Covered in shadow and spider webs the gloom that enveloped him pushed words out to break the nothing-ness. "I guess some human contact would be nice…

…Sometimes."

Naruto awoke to, well he was shocked to find he was able to get up in the first place. As he took in his surrounding he noticed some very peculiar things. One he was awkwardly lying on the floor nearest the window, when he rose to his feet everything about him screamed and dry blood flaked off him and his master was no where in sight. He took the last one to be a good thing, although how he ended up on the floor was a mystery.

Looking at a clock on the bedside table he saw he had the most part of a few house to school so he could go back to his house, never home, and prepare. That is if he could make it to the wardrobe "borrow" some clothes and make it out the front door before he collapsed with fatigue. He mused over the options and discovering there really wasn't anything else he could do, he half limped and half padded over to the wardrobe and picked out a plain red, bordering maroon really, turtle neck and jeans that were a least a size too big. "Belt, belt, belt," he thought. He settled on a black studded one with the least red rusty stains on it.

Closing the front door behind him he smiled as a morning breeze ruffled his hair and eased his aching scalp. Slowly he made his way home. Taking the more normal, easy going route as opposed to the one he had used to get here. Almost an hour later, due to his delicate condition as he liked to call it, he arrived at the door of his apartment and pushed forward into the darkness and oddly cold for this time of year front room.

Not even bothering to remove his shoes he robotically made his way to the bathroom, stripped down and proceeded to his normal, daily routine. This consisted of a slow boiling shower where trying his best to scour the _dirt _off his body and then he dressed in silence, the smooth material of his school shirt feeling good against his skin, trying his best to not look at the mess of bruises and other possessive marks on his body he noticed angry blue black finger marks ringing round his neck. Great, he was cool enough now in his apartment but knowing this time of year well it was bound to get hotter. Either way he was screwed, wear nothing underneath and he risked questions about the bruises, wear something to hide them and risk questions on why he was acting "odder" than usual. "Urgh! Fucking bastard!" he screamed into the nothing-ness and in his momentary anger and sudden power surge he punched the mirror in front of him splintering the glass and fracturing it into many pieces. Many of which were stuck in his still closed Fist. "Great another fucking injury. Well I Think it's safe to say I have _the_ worst luck of them all. Such a clumsy , undeserving…" He trailed off as he walked the short space to his kitchen where he picked out the glass and took care of the many wounds he had suffered. Hardest, he realised, would be the lash marks and welts. So many. So little left in the small hospital he had acquired over the course of a year.

Arriving at school at least an hour early he sat with his between his knees on the stairs outside of his form room. Waiting. Waiting in silence. He felt someone sit down on the opposite side of the set of stairs he was sitting on through tiny vibrations and debated looking up. No, not worth the effort. Regardless he sat up and winced as his back cracked and saw none other than that pretty boy transfer Sasuke sitting gracefully intently glaring at the wall. Better now than never. "Sorry. For yesterday. Sorry." He whispered.

"Still haven't found your voice I see. Dobe" Sasuke voiced back. The smirk obvious in the condescending way he said this statement.

"Still haven't found your manners I see. Teme. Don't they teach that at the posh school of yours, you should really make sure you get your money's worth." shouted Naruto, the volume obviously not necessary this early in the day. Something about this boy just irked him right down to the voices lair. Kyuubi, was that it's name? Maybe…

"Is that something shiny?" asked Sasuke.

"What? Where?" enquired Naruto. Shaking his head around eagerly already lost and distracted from the previous…well distraction.

"At least they didn't raise kids who think like magpies," the Boy chuckled.

"Oh…I… well I thought… Never mind" Naruto muttered out a mixture of sentences and regained a drilled into him perspective and replaced his head on his knees. Once again grimacing at the slight crack and sore wounds.

"You know, why do you do that? You seem so energetic and dominant, even aware of things around you then oddly revert into this cowering bundle of submissive fear. Are you like manic?"

"…" Mumbled Naruto into his leg.

"Here I thought I'd impress you with a long sentence length."

"I said, no. I am not manic."

"Well at least I got an answer. See you around. Dobe." Sasuke rose and filtered into the classroom with the rest of the student body who had arrived.

"Don't call me that! Bloody, teme." Naruto waited a few moments and lifted himself off the stairs. Grabbed his rucksack and leisurely strolled to his seat. Leisurely indeed. Barging past Sasuke as hard as his "condition" would allow he slid down into the wobbly chair that used to be so entertaining and replaced his legs with the desk as he lay his head upon it. Eyes closed and background noise slowly muffling itself out he fell into a dream like state of consciousness. What he didn't notice was Sasuke staring at his neck where the back of hair had parted and a sliver of black blue bruise was visible. "Probably nothing. He seems clumsy," reflected the Young Uchiha.

As the teacher, Iruka briskly walked into class a slight blush across his cheeks. "Sorry, I'm late class I was, intercepted. Yes. Intercepted on the way here, had to deal with some important business, alas the life of a teacher is very tough."

"Save it for another time sensei! We have social lives to be getting on with you know!" Called a boy near the back, he had two red tattoos on the cheeks of his face in the shape of upside down triangles. Kiba Inuzuka was his name.

"That may be but I'm sure those who do, don't want you there. Kiba"

"Uncalled for!" was the huskily shouted reply.

"Sit down I need to register all you miscreants. Oh, someone PLEASE wake Naruto up that's the third time this week," and while Iruka sat down to register the class Kiba took it upon himself to wake the sleeping boy.

"Yo, Fox Boy!! Wake up. There's a time and a place you know." Naruto stirred "Psst, This isn't it." Kiba added after careful consideration.

"Oh get bent Inuzuka," He wearily mumbled, he seemed to do that a lot lately.

"What did you!!…" Cut off by a clearly angry Iruka he was ear pulled to his seat.

"Oh shush, Naruto stay awake it's only twenty five minutes a day I see you so please! Kiba shut it and say put. Anyone else want to try my patience? Really go on, I dare you!" Iruka glared across the class and the class was silent as he finished the register with only a minute to spare.

During all this Sasuke watched Naruto, weather he was sleeping or staring out the window staring at lone birds circling the tarmac. He had reached this conclusion. The one thing he could say for sure about this new, environment, was that it certainly wasn't boring. Much to the annoyance of his inner indifferent self who knew change was coming.

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_Well. Wow, long chapter ne? Well for me anyways. Hope I've drawn the similarities between the two boys which is what I'm trying to do. Oh and the angst, emo, teenage thing? I had too. Taking an emo snipe at Sasuke is too irresistible, it's like a florescent yellow glove slapping you in the face. Really. Reviews are appreciated. Really._


	5. On the Rooftop Staring at Caged Freedom

-1_This chapter is especially for the only reader I seem to have! My constant reviewer __**vampire Anime lover**__…Love your love for the story. Coming up a disclaimer! Tension and conversation, also a little let up of the evilness. Oh heck I'll throw in some past history too. Oh and S.M…Not to __**OOC **__for you even though it's __**AU**__**HRH**__. Ha ha. Read and Review. _

_You know what else? It's so hard finding endings for dialogue… Urgh! _

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Of Struggles, Pain, Power and Battle

By Spirited Dragon 

Chapter 5

On the rooftop staring at Caged Freedom 

Throughout the day Naruto drifted between the dream consciousness that he had first discovered a few months back and the point where it was safe to say he blacked out. Of course no one took much notice because this was Naruto, the boy who slacked off in class, slept, ate and bunked off. No, nothing knew with his behaviour there then.

It also came to the point where sharing all his classes and assigned seating with the Uchiha became a down right nuisance. Every hour long period girls would flock to his desk never relenting on constant chatter and the occasional squeal and passing out. Sasuke may have become immune to such behaviour and pass it off with a grunt, much to the girls delight, but Naruto wanted some peace, peace. Peace with fan-girls was never a good combination due to that fact it wasn't possible. Such miracles didn't exist.

One final thing Naruto experienced was a bother of another degree. One that had "oh-so-lovely" hair and perfect this and perfect that left, right and centre. Uchiha seemed to have made it his hobby to watch, to the extent one could say he was bordering obsessed, Naruto. Striking many a similarity between a guinea pig and his scientist observer he snapped for the second time. He was no animal to be gawked at, this staring was going into the extreme. Oh and off the record, it was a little embarrassing too.

"What are you staring at?" Naruto growled.

"Why are you watching my actions?" Sasuke replied without wavering in his concentration.

"Don't answer my question with a question!" Naruto whisper shouted.

"I have no idea what you mean" Was the reply.

"You're a proper little arsehole you know that?" Naruto glared at Sasuke's head as he said this.

"And you're an annoying moron, did _you _know that?" Smirking at the way he was easily riling the dobe up.

"You're doing it again!" countered Naruto.

"Doing what?" chuckled Sasuke.

"Answering a question with a question. Stop it! Plus you've so moved off topic now," Rambled the blond teenager. 

"What was the question to begin with?" teased Sasuke.

"See!" Naruto breathed in deep to calm his anger, "Why. Are. You. Staring?"

"Oh _that_," Sasuke turned to look Naruto in the eye as their teacher prattled on about something unimportant and whispered huskily, "You. Are. Interesting." Flushing red Naruto bit back a retort as the class ended. He choose the most appropriate action at the time. Pack his bag as quickly as possible and run. Unable to stop himself taunting Naruto, Sasuke said something that would later make his mind do cartwheels. "Why the rush? That afraid of the big bad Uchiha?"

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks.

How dare he accuse him of being a coward. He comes in all new from an easy life with no idea of what Naruto had to fight with every day. Just because he was "better" and more "established" than Naruto. NO. He again choose the most appropriate course of action. Punch his pretty boy face in as hard as he could.

Pivoting round he threw his fist towards Sasuke's face, a punch with all his weight behind it, half snarling he almost made a connection were it not for the fact Sasuke's own hand instinctively came up to block him.

Gripping his attackers hand in a crushing grip Sasuke's stoic face frowned, the class was silent as they watched the two interact. Breathing heavily and shaking Naruto tried to punch the boy with his other hand only to be blocked and caught again. Hands crossed in front of him he was lost as on what to do. So he kicked. Pushing himself backwards he brought his foot forward but yet again his plan backfired as Sasuke swiftly moved from his seated position and pulled Naruto forward to the point where their faces were almost touching.

Breath upon breathe he spat words at the trapped fox. "What is you're problem? Huh? Think you can take me? You're a looser and you'll always come last next to me." With those spiteful words he pushed his attacker turned victim as far away from him as possible which resulted in Naruto tripping and hitting his head on a table corner. Gasping in shock Naruto's hands reached out to the boy that pushed him and tried to say something but in his "condition" and the recent injury he had just sustained he felt his vision blurring and promptly passed out.

Sasuke, although the cause of the boys injuries, moved into action. The class around him irrelevant as they panicked and the teacher ran for assistance. He ran to Naruto's side and checked for vitals. He was well versed in such things. He gently moved his blacked out friend? No class mate, and picked him up bridal style. Walking gingerly yet at a speedy pace he left the class and left for the medical room.

The class he left was in shock, partly because of what had happened and partly because the Uchiha boy who cared for no one and no thing had shown flashed anxiety as he picked up his victim. As the teacher came back and the students filtered out it could be heard in muffled whispers that something was going on between the two and one particularly worried pink haired girl muttered to her friend "I hope they're both alright. I've never seen them like that."

"It's almost as if they bring out the worst in each other," her blonde haired friend whispered back whilst nodding gravely. Never let it be said that the female species are not observant.

In the medical office of the school lay Naruto on a bed well used and under-prepared. His breathing softly broke the silence of the room as the resident nurse, who fortunately was in on this day, checked him over.

Brushing her blonde hair from her face she explained in simple terms what was going on to the barely showing worry, boy who sat stiffly across the room.

"It seems he's suffering from fatigue, he must have been pushing his body to the limit recently, not resting, aggravating injuries things like that. The bump to his head just nudged him over the edge and his body has shut down to repair. He should wake up in due time. Now tell me, you're his friend right? What has he been like lately?"

"Friend?" came the confused reply.

"Yes, you did bring him in…" said the nurse.

"We're more just in the same class," Before the nurse could interject he continued, "He sleeps a lot in class but I've been told that's normal, he seems to have fluctuating moods, I mean one minute he's all calm, almost cowering, then the next his temper flares and he lashes out."

"Hmm, well there's a number of reasons why that could be, most likely the fatigue affects his mood." She ordered Sasuke to look out for him and left the room to contact Naruto's parents. Of which he had none but she didn't know that.

Said boy stirred from his black out and looked around to take in his surroundings. Panicking when he didn't realise where he was he jumped from the cot bed and ran out the door searching for some bearings. Sasuke chased after him of which he didn't realise. Realising he was in school he ran to the roof. The roof where no one else could be and no one else would bother him. He had almost got caught and if that would happen his friend come owner would have to go through more pain for him and through him.

Leaping up stairs flinging open the roof door, ignoring the no students allowed sign. He sunk to the floor to catch his breathe. Hearing the door slam open once again he turned only to suffer a head rush and fall to the floor. His shirt rode up in the process.

"Uzumaki!" No reply. "Naruto" Nothing. "DOBE!" the boy on the floor stirred to this remark and grimaced when he saw who had followed him. 

"Go away, came to tease me about what a weakling I am? Huh, happy with the result you produced?" He breathily growled. Sasuke noticing angry red lines running the length of Naruto's abdomen swallowed his reply. He leaned down and pulled the boy, who had no fight left in him at this point to resist, and pushed his against the door he had just come through.

Pinning the flushed teens hands above his head he used his free hand to lift Naruto's shirt higher. What he saw made him stumble backwards and lock eyes with the victim. "What is that?.. What happened to you?" He didn't know why he cared or why he was so shocked at what he saw but now he was in this he had to finish what he started.

"It's nothing I can't handle, just leave." Naruto whispered, walking to the edge of the roof past the shocked boy he gripped the fence and murmured to the wind "I hate being caged. It sucks. Really." Not noticing his friend come attacker walk up behind him he shivered involuntarily as a hand was apprehensively placed on his shoulder. He felt the carefully constructed walls surrounding his mind tremble. 

"I don't know what to say, I. I'm sorry Naruto," Sasuke said sombrely. He felt something pull at his heart when he got nothing in return and felt something inside him flare as his hand was slapped away.

"What would you know huh? Everyone worships you! Me, You know nothing about me, apologise if you have to, if that helps you feel less guilt. Go back to beating me if that's what you need because you wouldn't be the first to. Everyone around me, they…Just go." Naruto finished his rant with eyes glinting red and power flowing through his voice. The little voice in his head egging him on.

**"Brat, you're weak, let me out I can give you power that can save you. Save the people around you. No one has to die anymore. Let me loose. Release the seal I can help. You can finally make them pay. I feel you're rage, I feel the raw emotion inside. Brat. Listen. Give yourself to me." **Sensing something out of the ordinary Sasuke looked into Naruto's eyes and saw the blankness residing in them. Blue out of the ordinary but so very lifeless. Spaced out and angry he winced when Naruto gripped his wrist digging nails into the soft underside. He winced when he was swung round and pushed against the chain link fence and he winced when for a moment a feral side to his, friend, yes friend; was revealed.

Naruto gave himself over to the voice, unable to stop the luring hold it had. He felt himself give over to instinct and leaned in to sniff Sasuke's neck. Feeling his prey stiffen he smiled a broad smile and let go and pulled back. Sasuke opened his closed eyes to see Naruto had once again passed out and lay in a awkward position. Recovering from his shock he picked the unusually light boy up supporting him as he stood and wiped the tears from his eyes. He was in deep now. He turned to see the sun lower in the sky as at least an hour had passed since school passed and murmured to the world "I'll set you free from your cage. I promise you that."

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_Well I'm sorry for the slow progress of the story and if you haven't got the answers you wanted, in the next chapter Naruto wakes up to panic and interrogation and learns that sometimes there are people around you that share the same pain._

_Read and Review. I own Nothing. Updates are weekly at the worst. WooOO00OOooo._


	6. Explanations Please?

_Well I did promise an update. Update's please. HA HA . ZOMG long chapter ahead and guess what? you finally find out who he is (officially) and the whole deal with the story. Well Read Review and Enjoy. Please critique I enjoy the fact you care enough to help me improve. On with the story ahoy! _

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Of Struggles, Pain, Power and Battle

By Spirited Dragon 

Chapter 6 Explanation please? Maybe we have something.

Sasuke wiped sweat from Naruto's forehead, he attentively taking care of the delicate skin around the eyes and the soft roundness of his cheeks. How had it come to this? Within the space of a week he had formed something that closely resembled a bond with this loud, stupid, manic dobe of a boy. Within the space of a week he had brought another living person into his home and was now taking care of said person. It seemed the strangest things were becoming routine.

Leaving Naruto to his own devices he padded to the kitchen to make himself some well deserved tea. Watching the water boil he felt his mind drift to the day when he had stopped caring for humanity in general. Somehow this boy had managed to resurface an old feeling. One of humane compassion and warped understanding. He knew nothing but he understood every unsaid word that hung in the air.

Back on that unfortunate day he was running home from school late after spending so long practicing to perfect a technique his genius brother had done so very early in life. Noticing the silence that emanated from his road, exclusive to people within the Uchiha name, he ran faster, faster and faster till he stumbled onto the front door of his house. Lungs screaming and lips dry and cracked from the cold wind that wisped over his face as he ran.

Fumbling with keys well versed in the task he stepped inside and shouted a shaky "I'm home," hearing nothing in return he searched the bottom floor of his home finding nothing and no one in the area. He walked upstairs, in the darkness, not bothering with lights he missed the little details that could've maybe saved him sooner.

He spun fully on the landing taking in every detail possible in the dim light the full moon provided. It filtered through the many windows and was the only constant present at the time. Young and naive maybe his mistakes could've been overlooked. No. He was to blame. He was never strong enough. Even at such a young age he knew he could never quite compare to his older brother.

His brother, Itachi would know what to do he sprinted to his brothers room skidding on the wooden floor, twisted the door handle he opened the door with unsteady hands. Seeing nothing unusual he called out, "Itachi, Itachi! Aniki! Where is everyone? Where…" his words died in his throat as he saw something glint in the moonlight. He apprehensively switched on the light. The room he stood in, every surface was covered in blood, slick and fresh. The blood he later found out to be his parents. Who knew two people could bleed that much?

Scrambling backwards he hit the corridor wall hard and with a look of terror on his face. His brother was strong and his brother would never be taken down so easily. Never. That blood still wet and fresh. It had to be the person who tried to attack his elder brother. That was the conclusion the little Sasuke had drawn before running to his parents room.

Water was bubbling over and the flashback was interrupted. He poured a very nearly empty kettle of water onto a tea bag, stirred in some milk and left the kitchen without adding sugar. He sipped the boiling drink with no care for the searing pain in his mouth, he could handle it, plus there was a more pressing matter at hand. He HAD to find out why Naruto had attacked him and why there was an almost abrupt change in his personality. It was if he was a totally different person.

The anger that had leaked from him was terrifying and when compared to this paling fragile boy lying half splayed on a sofa he couldn't help wonder if the day had just been the after effects of fatigue, as the nurse put it. He settled on an armchair directly across from the slumbering boy and sipped his tea indifferently and settled down to his new favourite past time. Watching - (to the point where one could say it bordered obsessive) - Naruto.

Naruto was wondering through his mind. If that were possible, maybe he was only dreaming. His mind was surprisingly very bland and dull, dimly lit he walked corridor upon corridor feeling and following the pull of something that was intoxicatingly powerful. It excreted such an aura of power and evil and he was sucked in by it, like a moth to a flame. Treading carefully through shallow waters he stepped through a door and entered a large room in which was a wall that wasn't quite a wall, but a row of bars with a small paper seal in the middle. Through the darkness he made out red and the swishing of what could be two, five, maybe nine tails. "Hello," he called out. Nothing. He walked to the bars and leaned as close as he could swishing his hand inside the bars cautiously. 

**"****Hey brat, nice to know you came to find **_**me**_** for once. What do you want? Finally giving up hope and letting me do what we know needs to be done?****"** It was here Naruto saw through the dim light a giant fox, with eyes blood red from years of murder, padding to the opposite of where Naruto was it's nine long vibrant tails silently swayed around it. This was the face of his nightmares. This was what had caused so many people around him to die and this, beast was what had caused him to suffer.

Anger bubbling up underneath his skin he screamed at it through the "safety" of the cage it resided in. "What do you want huh? Thought I'd set you free? I hate you! You live in me and give me pain, I finally get to see your cowardly, yes cowardly, face and you dare ask me to let you run riot? You hide behind me and…I hate you. You're the worst kind of trash you know?!"

"**You came this far to tell me that? You****'****re more hopeless than I thought,****"**the fox replied.

"Oh shut up! Leave me alone and stay out of my life! I can deal with things my way. It's better this way. How many times? It's. Better. This. Way," Naruto shouted so loudly at the fox his voice became hoarse and he felt himself slip back into reality, sinking to the floor of his mind he felt calm wash over him and missed the words of the fox as he left.**"****You can****'****t hold me for long you know? Watch the seals.****"**

Jerking himself awake Naruto once again awoke to unfamiliar surroundings. He took a look around to find his, friend. His friend Sasuke was sleeping on an armchair with a cup of forgotten tea that lay at his feet. He took this to be his home. He rose to his feet slowly and went to go find the nearest bathroom, he was sweaty and needed to think. He was sure Sasuke wouldn't mind him using the shower after all he had brought him here.

Locating the nearest bathroom on the first floor, after many failed attempts I might add, he stripped down to nothing and turned on the water to a boiling degree. He stepped into the shower wincing slightly as the hot water ran over his sore muscles. Rubbing soap between his hands he washed slowly, methodically. Something he had never done before. Even with his "condition" he was an all over mess. Some old habits really do die hard. 

Stepping out and wrapping a dark towel round his waist he made his way to what appeared to be Sasuke's bedroom and began to scavenge around for clothes he could wear, after all Sasuke did bring him here, might as well take advantage while the opportunity presented itself. He looked through a chest of drawers picking out some plain boxers and socks, He sifted through a wardrobe picking out a t-shirt with an unnaturally high collar and some white shorts. It was almost déjà vu how he ended up borrowing people's clothes. Changing into them he ran a troubled hand through his hair and wondered how on earth he was going to explain the running, flinching, general psycho-ness. Not to mention he had, by the looks of the sky outside, missed his meeting with the one who owned him. God was mocking him he was sure. "Damn you god. Damn you to hell!" he whispered.

Sasuke awoke to the sound of a running shower and shifted around on the sofa working the kinks out of him. Pacing towards the stairs he approached his room wordlessly and as he opened the door he saw Naruto wistfully staring out the window with a tear making a track down one of his cheeks. "Hi," he whispered. Naruto turned around and clumsily wiped the stray tear from his face trying his best to not show any more weakness.

"Hey," he replied.

"Clothes fit well?" Sasuke inquired.

"Just about, I think I might need a belt though," Naruto answered

"What about the one you wore…" asked Sasuke.

"NO!.. I'd rather not have it on more than I have too, mind much?" 

"Go ahead, third drawer down, left." Sasuke directed in monotone, he watched Naruto move noting how he winced and couldn't help stare at the retreating back. As his friend bent down to retrieve a belt he caught a glimpse of something marring almost perfect skin. He had to know. He brought him home. He… he cared. Quickly moving from his spot near the door he sped over to where Naruto was pulled him up by the back of his t-shirt and used his weight to pull the boy to the floor. Straddling him he used one hand to pin the slightly smaller boys hands while said boy gaped in shock and did a very accurate impression of a fish.

"Sasuke! What are you doing! Let go bastard!" Naruto shouted in vain, he twisted and writhed, bucking and fought like a trapped animal, which essentially he was, but gave up as he looked at the normally cold hard eyes of Uchiha that had flickered worry cross them every so often. Breathing in deep, cheeks flushed he asked as calmly as he could "What are you doing Sasuke? Why not get off me ne?" 

"No"  
"Why?!"

"There's something going on."

"And that is your problem how?!" Naruto asked indignantly.

"You're my friend, Plus I am responsible for you seeing as you're in _my_ house" 

"Argh! Why? Just let me go, I have something to take care of! Let go you… you bastard!" 

"Moron stay still" Sasuke was loosing his grip and Naruto could feel it, using what control he did have he did the only logical thing he could. He awkwardly turned Naruto around so he lay flat on his stomach and Sasuke sat on his legs just below his arse. Was this considered compromising? Re-grabbing his "guest's" arms and pinning them to his back he lifted up the t-shirt the boy was wearing, ignoring protests and cries to "stop!" and "let [him go," he pulled the t-shirt as high as it would go.

What he saw shocked even him.

Littering this apparently perfect boys back was scars old and new, bruises old and yellow and purple and fresh, lash (whip?) marks criss-crossed red and blushing from the heat of the recent shower, open sores and burns were also common. The thing that shocked him the most was a word carved, hacked if one would like the exact method, into Naruto's lower back. It was the word 'Killer' and underneath that was a the word 'Monster.' Who did this?

"Who did this?" He asked, his voice hoarse and dry. He neglected to notice Naruto had stopped struggling and lay quiet and still. The perfect enactment of a corpse. He let his captor turn him around once again and lay lifeless as his arms were let go and Sasuke repositioned himself on top of him. He let the question die in the air once more before finally allowing the tears threatening to fall do just that. He shouted into the nothingness and looked Sasuke dead in the eyes, he saw the boy was shocked and smiled.

"Happy? I told you stop! I told you!! Why don't you ever listen, no-one's supposed to know so why? Huh? Tell me why you had to look? So are you _satisfied? _Is your curiosity well fed now? Why the shock? Tell me. Do you think you can actually help? Don't make me laugh" Naruto let his voice soften as he ranted on, it was better this way, push people away and they don't get hurt. He wouldn't kill or hurt anyone anymore.

Sasuke looked at the boy whose head lay on it's side, chest moving slowly up and down in an uneven rhythm, he was hooked, but Naruto was right, he had wanted to know and the real question was, was he done here now that he knew? He wouldn't let anyone else suffer. Who said he couldn't save this one? Slapping the boy across the face he said in a voice with no room for negotiation "I_ am _ going to help you, You _are_ going to talk. You have _no_ say in the matter. Talk. Now."

Naruto looked at the source of the voice that was strangely soothing. It was giving orders, orders he could handle after all they were simple. Follow well get rewarded, fail and feel pain. He could follow orders but did he want too? Did he want to tell the secrets that no-one knew and to this complete _stranger _who had entered his life less than two weeks ago? **"****Talk brat. Obey.****"**He started his well rehearsed (head wise) story with glazed over eyes and a static voice.

"A long time ago there was a small town not to far from here, in this town there lived a boy. He was lonely, he had no parents and no friends since people avoided him. Living in a decent apartment kindly provided by the mayor he watched the days and people go by. One day he was sitting on a swing outside the town academy hatefully watching the other kids who despised him be picked up by parents who looked at him like he was a monster. It was that day he met a boy with lifeless eyes like his own and the most amazing hair he had ever seen. It was the colour of blood.

They formed a close bond after almost beating each other up to within an inch of their lives, one fighting for death and the pleasure taking life can give, the other fighting for the precious gift given to everyone, one that shouldn't be taken so lightly. They were two forks in a road. Stemmed from one they saw two different ways of life.

One day whilst at the red heads house they older wiser not so lonely boy told his friend a secret he said that sometimes he heard a voice and that whenever he was too weak to fight it, the voice took over. He was made fun of. It came to be however that the red head would find out how truthful he was because one unfortunate night he came home to find a blonde boy laying in pools of blood, a knife between his hands he caught whispers of 'Why? Why?!' He saw his family butchered. Hardly recognisable he saw only rage. 

It was from then on that he made sure the blonde paid for what the voice had done. He beat him, humiliated him, dehumanised him. He made sure the other suffered. The broken boy knew he deserved it, after all he had been too weak. If only he had been stronger. So he let it happen all the while for a year, oblivious to those around him he took the punishment and paid with blood, sweat and tears," Naruto finished on a low almost inaudible note, repeating words said to him often, it was definitely easier to think of then say out loud, he had no idea why he made it into a story but it felt appropriate. His tale was one no-one would believe after all his murders had been well covered up on the account of his friend wanting personal revenge.

Sasuke didn't know what to say, this boy he was sitting on had suffered so much, he knew more but understood little. Voice? Murder? What had…no he would wait. He would stop this first. So there they sat, Sasuke straddling Naruto with new revelation and relations formed. Their breathing slowed to synchronicity of one another and Sasuke moved off him to lay beside him. He held the boys hand within his own and decided an eye for an eye, so to speak.

"You know about a year or so ago there was a whole street found murdered, they never caught the culprit and all that was left was one small cowering pathetic boy. He had been spared," he stared at his ceiling memorising the bareness of white before continuing, listening to the now steady breath of Naruto. "I was coming home when I saw the emptiness of my road. I ran to our house thinking my brother could help. He wasn't there. I found warm blood covering the walls of his room and thought if couldn't be my aniki. No he was too strong. But I was wrong. Running to my parents room I found him hovering over the bodies of our parents the katana he used still dripping. He had killed everyone and left me alive. He left me with words of hatred and the fear who could kill hundreds and get away. About a year or so ago I found out my aniki killed all my family and escaped, It was then I promised revenge and been occupying myself every waking moment with thoughts on how to and training to become stronger.

If I can, I will kill him for killing everyone I cared about. That's my aim in life. The saddest thing is that at one point I trusted him so much and looked up to him, he stuck up for me and saved me from my dad so many times, no I wouldn't even care if my dad ignored me as long as he was there. I miss the fact I had a family. A year or so ago Sasuke Uchiha died with the rest of the family."

When he finished they still both lay on the floor fingers entwined, both had shared the grief of past mistakes and both were paying for it. Sasuke sat up and helped Naruto up to, carefully avoiding anything he saw to be fragile. He looked down through his lashes at the boy he had come to acknowledge and watched him tremble slightly in his grip, 'so hurt,' he thought. He pulled away and walked towards the bedroom door and as he was leaving he half ordered a single word.

Naruto looked up through his lashes at the Uchiha boy who had taken care of him, been assaulted by him, overpowered him and opened old wounds with him and sighed. All this in one day with someone he _barely_ acknowledged as well. He trembled slightly as the pressure on the grip holding him increased and warm breath tickled his face. He felt slightly hurt when the other pulled away and left him colder than before. That was before he heard the order Sasuke gave at the door. He said "Stay."

And of course Naruto could always follow orders, they were simple, but did he want to? **"****Obey.****"**He nodded and mumbled a quick reply before following Sasuke out the room where they had somehow formed a friendship of sorts, he followed to the only one who might be able to save him from his friend…master. His old friend and new owner who went by the name Gaara. Nothing more and nothing less.

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_Soo sorry for the wait, I haven't been able to get online, damn TALK TALK. How I LOATHE you... Anyhoo read and review anyone? Please and thank you...  
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	7. Holding Hands Furtively

-1Of Struggles, Pain, Power and Battle

By Spirited Dragon 

Chapter 7 Holding Hands Furtively 

The next day broke and with it Naruto found something he thought he had lost a long time ago. He found hope. He has slept through the night and had nothing troubling him except the face of a newly discovered friend. He got up slowly from Sasuke's bed, he had been forced to sleep next to boy on account of his "condition", and quietly dressed for school. He scrambled around for his clothes, once again opting to wear Sasuke's, when a cold hand reached out and grabbed his wrist. "Where are you going?"

"School, and if I'm not mistaken, you should be moving too." Naruto said in a hushed tone then for effect he added "Teme."

"What time is it?"

"I think…Yup it's 7:30am"

"We have time" and with that Sasuke pulled Naruto down onto the bed and tried to go back to sleep, that was until his brain kicked in and he realised what time it was, who he was holding and what was happening down below. 'Oh shit' he thought.

"Right, yea. Move. Wait for me outside."

"But it's cold!"

"Outside. Now"

"Good to see you're so warm and inviting" Naruto grabbed a belt and stalked downstairs and Sasuke felt the impact of the door slamming. He ran to the bathroom brushing his teeth and running a comb through his hair at the same time, then he jogged to his room grabbing clothes in no particular order and slipped them on. Glancing at his appearance he jumped down the stairs and gabbing some water on the way out walked as calmly as he could to where Naruto stood kicking a lone rock back and forth.

They walked in silence to the bus stop, neither being old enough to drive yet. Once there they sat a good foot away from each other and occasionally one would draw breath as if to say something but no words ever broke the silence. Naruto fuming silently, he just couldn't believe that after all that they had shared and the fact he had submitted to orders from another, that this was what it had come down to. Silence at a bus stop. Well he found it hard to believe they were back to worse than when they started. He shuffled along the bus stop's red, hard, plastic elongated seat and staring straight ahead began to talk.

"I'll give your clothes back tomorrow today I have to visit my ma…_friend. _Although I could just burn them, maybe that would get a reaction out of you, I mean I think I preferred the half dead fluffy Uchiha that reared it's head this morning. But no! I get stuck with the teme. That's great that. I …"He was cut off as fingers entwined with his own and he looked to the boy sitting besides him, he was…well Naruto couldn't yet tell but it was some sort of emotion. Which in it's own right was some sort of achievement.

He reluctantly let go of Sasuke's hand as the bus trundled down the road towards them, packed full of children from other schools he groaned into the air. They both inwardly knew they'd have to push to get on the bus. Sighing Naruto got up and followed his friend quietly, swinging a black folder back and forth he stepped onto the only transport available to him.

"Thank God," he mumbled, when he noticed that the bus was moving and both of them had managed to make it on with a degree of space, granted Sasuke had to go and steal the only seat available and he was stuck clinging to a oddly greased pole. Naruto hoped that there weren't going to be that many people on the next stop or maybe the bus would skip the stop entirely meaning less travel time and people to squash him in like last minute luggage. No such luck. The bus screeched to a stop doors that looked new squeaked open and he was forced to hold on to someone's arm to stop himself from falling onto a "poor unfortunate citizen." The litter personified, looking man who wore a faded denim jacket and worn down trainers looked at his arm as if it has been infected which considering the appearance of the man was a little ironic. Naruto hastily stood and mumbled a "Thank you" all the while noticing a certain person smirking at the way god mocked him. 

He yelped when someone stepped on his leg, not even his foot, his leg and he had shuffle further towards the pole he was holding to avoid the evil bitch who stepped on him. The only problem was that as soon as he moved more people pushed past him to grab any sort of space left on the bus. A gang of young teenagers, no taller than four foot pushed past him angrily and Naruto growled whilst trying to not fall over. He failed miserably and flew forwards towards an amused Sasuke and landed directly on his covered crotch.

"Damn," He shouted. The words half shushed because of the compromising position he was in.

"Na-ru-to. There's a time and place for nuzzling my penis. This isn't it," Sasuke replied, a patronising tone dripping from each syllable.

"Get bent Uchiha I'm hardly enjoying this"

"So planning to stay there? Move now." Naruto realised Sasuke didn't really talk much and ever since yesterday he was ordering him around a lot more. Not that he was complaining since getting too involved would only get people hurt.

"Yes sir" he grumbled sarcastically, he rose clumsily, grabbing the 'McGrease' the pole as he had come to name it, he stood shakily almost falling as the bus turned a corner.

"No need for that tone, you were the one who randomly attacked me. Silly dobe."

"Don't exaggerate!" Naruto barked unaware of the odd looks he was receiving and the tinted blush that has graced his face. He would _never_ attack someone willingly, that was the job of the 'other' him. 

"The youth of today, so aggressive," Sasuke said, a touch of laughter edging through his voice.

"You make me sound like some sort of…molester? Yea that," Naruto snapped.

"Guilty?" the dark haired boy questioned, seemingly innocent, unless you noticed the satisfied look in his eyes. Naruto turned away, he would not rise to this. No not going to take the bait. He tried to focus on the route ahead and calculated with the current traffic he would have to ignore Sasuke for a very long time. Damn. 

Minutes passed and never before had he wished time would pass quickly, never before had he wished to get to the prison some referred to as a state education. Spending time with the Uchiha was not good. He felt like he was being torn in half, the decisions and words he had to make and say had to be picked so carefully so he could protect Sasuke. Manic moods of sweet to bastard to down right evil were not helping. He needed away from this boy.

The bus overtook an inexperienced driver dwindling along at what was at the very least half the speed limit. It launched itself round a corner and Naruto felt his grip falter. "Why? I hate you McGrease!" He tried to right himself but the bus jolted to a stop causing him to stumble and he closed his eyes as the realisation that he was falling hit him. He was falling and he was going right back to the person he was trying to ignore.

Naruto, blue eyes open a fraction, hair mussed and already losing the form he had given it this morning, found himself in Sasuke's lap; strong, cold to the touch arms wrapped preventing him from moving off his friend. The bus emptied and there they sat in silence once more. A blush adorning the blonde's face and a mask of indifference on the person he was sat on.

"You know the bus has seats now," Naruto whispered with half a conviction. It wasn't as if he minded being on the boys lap; it was just at the very least, embarrassing.

"Move if you want then," Was the reply from Sasuke who as usual was very softly spoken. The dilemma was here and now, Naruto had the choice of moving and leaving an embrace that steadied his normally erratic heart beat or, he could stay of his own choice and wordlessly admit his growing tolerance of the other. His friend. After moments of racking his brains in a silent debate he was snapped into reality by something he hated more than being beaten. 

**"Brat! You know if you let me out I could teach this Uchiha a good time, trust me I'd make you feel GOOD. No? I'll settle for what your **_**master**_** gives you then. Looser. You're such a good for nothing idiot, no one wants you! Get over it. He'll use you and leave you because you deserve nothing more!" **The voice slowly died out with only the remnants of a cackle residing. Naruto slid off Sasuke's lap sweating and breathing in harsh pants.

"Hand," he gasped.

"What's wrong? Tell me" Sasuke replied, traces of concern making their way through his voice, he held Naruto's face with both hands and stared at the weeping eyes they held. His chest was troubled by pangs of pain as his only interest spoke once more.  
"Please, I need it. He… You…" Sasuke offered one of his hands without question and held the boy once more. Wondering what went on in the head that lay pressed on his shoulder.

Arriving at an ridiculously early hour to school, they had at the very least an hour to waste give or take the teacher's arrival. They found themselves sitting once again on the stairs but with one major difference, instead of his own lap Naruto's head was resting on Sasuke's, whose had that wasn't supporting him idly toyed with almost yellow hair splayed across his trousers.

After twenty minutes of silence Naruto had apparently calmed down enough to speak and fill the void. The only change was that his topic of choice was not the usually picked one of happy, random thought trains. "Do you want to see?" He barely audibly said.

"See what?"

"You'll see"

"What if I say no?"

"Then you'll be all 'I wonder what that was arrrrghh I wanna know.'"

"And I talk like that?"

"Well Yes, in my head you do, don't you?" Naruto said, his voice growing as they rambled on.

"Dobe."

"Teme, but the thing here is not your bastard-ness, Do you want to see?"

"Show me?" Sasuke apprehensively replied and with that a weight was lifted from his legs as Naruto stood and pulled up his jumper up whilst pulling down his trousers, just enough to show what he needed without being perverted. Using the hand not holding his jumper he pointed to faded scars, nine to be precise arranged in a nonagon, curving over his hips. Inside their was a few words in Japanese kanji, Sasuke thought it said something that resembled demon, he was rusty. Shameful really.

"And the six whiskers I have, I wasn't actually born with them, I, well my body did those itself."

"The voice?"

"Yea, he's a bastard like that. Always out to prove he's stronger than me. it's almost funny 'cept for the fact it hurts."

"Was that why you freaked on the bus?"

"Yea he said…well he said some really dirty things and in the end said I would be left alone. Again."

"I'm not leaving. Well I will be."

"What?!"

"Well I do believe we have to move to get to out form." Sasuke smugly stated as he rose. "Dobe."

"Oh well, that's real funny that. Ha bloody ha. Looser," shouted Naruto, all sarcastic effect loosing itself in the volume.

"Come now." Once the order came Naruto immediately followed and breathed in deep waiting to see Gaara's face yet seeing nothing but an empty seat he did a double take of the time. It was right, they were on time and the teachers wasn't so he should, in theory, be there sitting and staring at they prey that was Naruto. He became more frantic as he followed Sasuke without question and different situations ran through his head at inhuman speed. "Sit," Sasuke monotonously blurted. He sure was getting the hang of giving orders, considering they were only one syllable words most of time Naruto couldn't really be shocked at the ease at which the raven headed teen had slipped into it. Giving them at every given opportunity it appeared to the people on the outside that the hostile nature that the Uchiha showed them took a new form with the blonde, or as a certain Kiba might put it "Uchiha had that bitch trained." 

Naruto slid into his seat near the window, brushing past the back of Sasuke's head which caused a blush to creep onto his face. He sat and seamlessly began to show the world what was expected of him, a loud, brash, hard to understand nuisance. One that people couldn't help get close to. He held a sort of gravitation about him and that was one reason some people disliked him so much, here was a boy they all were supposed to hate and were warned to stay well away from, of fear of death kindly provided by Gaara; Yet they felt drawn in by him if he even spoke one word (in case a few really) to them. His passionate opinions often held you by the throat and even when he was having an 'off' day they were truly captivated. Unable to escape the pull they settled on trying to hate him. A task very rarely succeeded.

Across the room a platinum blonde, all natural, and a bubblegum pink, not so natural, haired pair sat and gossiped at what transpired between the two. "It's weird how they seem to be together all the time ne?" whispered Ino on fear of being heard despite the white noise chatter that filled the air.

"I know! I mean remember when Uzumaki passed out? That was beyond weird, I heard he spazzed when he came to. I think he must have a screw loose, he's gone beyond eccentric," Sakura not to subtly but solemnly whispered back.

"Oh shush, just because you're looking into studying medicine no need to psychoanalyse! If you keep on at it your forehead might have to talk to the rest of us while you go on and on and on and on!" Ino laughed at her long term friend.

"Ino-pig, take that back. I can hurt you so bad you realise?"

"Give me a time a place looser-head!" A few rows back a silent boy with sunglasses on indoors watched the girls fight, occasionally hitting the other. Next to him Kiba was talking endlessly occasionally barking laughs at him. He had stopped listening a while ago, it was more productive to think about the exotic bugs he could acquire. Illegally.

"Don't you think Shino? Shino? SHINO!!" Kiba screeched into Shino's ear. 

"What?" said the stoic boy.

"Uzumaki and Uchiha. I mean notice how they seem to be together a lot? And Uzumaki is the only person the bastard talks to willingly, I mean wow. Talk about stuck up. I wonder what they talk about, I bet it's dead boring though, I mean an idiot and a rich kid… OH MY GOD! They're gay! I swear it. Look at that it's the same thing I do when…" Kiba trailed off and looked profoundly at a new piece of mud that had appeared on his shoe. Ooh the interest. It was almost an epiphany educing experience. 

He had managed to grab the bug lover's attention though. Shino could at the very least agree that they did spend an unhealthy amount of time together for people who were supposedly 'enemies' come 'rivals,' it was clear to him they were bad for each other. Gay? Well he wouldn't put it past them. Any further speculations were cut off by the arrival of Iruka who apologised for his lateness, yet again and then took the register as quickly as possible and sped out the door, again.

"Kakashi sensei is rubbing off on him don't you think Shika?" said a large boy eating crisps happily as a pig in mud. A boy who appeared to be sleeping raised his head and looked at his friend sitting next to him. As troublesome as it would be Naruto and Uchiha-Kun he needed to give Chouji something to think about so he could rest.

"What about Uchiha-kun and Naruto? I heard he stayed over at Uchiha-kun's house. They seem to be rubbing off on each other. Hmm" He smiled at a job well done and went back to sleep.

"No way, tell me… oh well never mind. I'll go talk to Ino." Chouji shifted away and almost fluttered to where Ino was still arguing with Sakura. Back at where Naruto and Sasuke sat mumbling in soft voices about some unimportant topic, they didn't seem to realise they ideas that were being thrown around by their classmates, it was odd how they were instilled in their own world and when some students rose to go to class they were the last to leave and as they reluctantly stood Sasuke pressed his forehead to Naruto's in an effort to ease the imperfections of his breathing. "Let's go," he said.

"Yes sir," came the amused response.

"Meet me on the roof at lunch," Sasuke ordered as he began to walk away.

"And if I don't?" Naruto questioned as he followed.

"I make you pass out, again."

"I'm starting to get sick of that attitude of yours, plus your back aint half as good as your face."

"Careful someone might _misinterpret_ that statement."

"Maybe I want them too Sasuke-_chan,_" taunted Naruto.

"Say it again I'll make sure you wont be able to walk for a week." retorted a retreating back.

"Maybe I don't want to," countered Naruto inaudible. Hardly an appropriate answer. 

Time passed too slowly for Naruto who couldn't wait for lunch. He had come to expect the presence of Sasuke beside him, in front of him, near him. The only time he was at ease with sinful existence he had created was when he was near the other and plus he could control the voices efforts to take over a slight more than usual. It was a winning situation, except for the simple small fact Sasuke annoyed the shit out of him. It was a slight drawback, one the great Naruto Uzumaki could surely overlook. Ooh it had been a while since he said that in his head. Sounded good if he was truthful to himself. 

**"You'll never be great you realise?" **growled the Kyuubi no Kitsune [1****

"Oh Bugger off, I mean I'm sick of you're damn interfering, this is MY body, I decide what I do with it!"

**"Brat, you know you need me, remember what Gaara-**_**sama**_** said. 'I'll make sure you never feel the reality of dreams' since **_**you**_** so cruelly took away his. My kin."  
**  
"Shut the hell up fox. You're not getting me this time I have things to do that don't revolve or involve you. Oh and for the record, It was you who caused the deaths and my weakness that let you. Revel in the memory you're never getting to feel the _reality _of blood and life ever again." Naruto finished his mind match with the fox who plagued him and opened his eyes to see his teacher glaring at him for not paying attention.

"The answer Uzumaki-Kun, today if you please"

"Um, seven point nine?"

"Because the name of this line of division is a number, you are not in maths and even if you were I'm sure that would be wrong.

"Harsh," a random voice whispered.

"That it may be, now sit up and pay attention or detention this lunch!"

"Yes sir. I mean Mrs!" snapped Naruto. No way in the seven hells was he going to miss his appointment with Sasuke, he couldn't, it was ordered of him and he had been programmed to follow. Instinct taught him to preserve himself.

The lesson passed without incident and Naruto thanked any sort of higher power that lunch was what he had to 'attend' next. Off to Sasuke then, 'Oh god I'm starting to sound like a bloody girl, kill me now,' he thought.

Walking briskly to the roof stairs, he pushed open the underused door and he noticed Sasuke already seated on the ground waiting for him. It was to be expected from one such as him but for once Naruto would like to be the one on time. It wouldn't hurt. Jumping down from where he was standing he half shouted a "Hello!"

"Loud much?" 

"It talks?"

"You're an idiot, I talk to _you_ all the time."

"Well not enough," Naruto huffed back, it was true enough but he didn't feel like pushing his luck. "You know Gaara isn't in today," changing the tone to something suddenly more serious.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know he's always in, I think it makes him feel big knowing he can fuck me at school and no one really catches on." Naruto turned to face Sasuke and saw vague shock register in his eyes. "Oh right, didn't know about that heh heh, and life goes on," he rubbed the back of his neck and in a moment of insanity leaned against Sasuke's shoulder.

"You don't have to," Was the softly spoken comment, _"But I like it," _was the unspoken words that hung heavy in the air.

"I want to, you. I mean I. You're alright," mumbled the blonde from against a shoulder, "For a complete bastard anyways." They both let loose a laugh at that and Sasuke reached over to hold Naruto's hand, it would be a long time before he could readily admit the affection he held for this nuisance.

The heavy door was flung open and they jumped apart, Naruto smacking his head on the floor, reaching up to rub his head in slow circles to ease the slight pain he noticed the ease at which Sasuke sipped into being what people wanted to see. A boy who was indifferent and too high up to care about their trivial affairs. He was an antisocial beauty and they knew better to approach him. "YO! Uzumaki, come to find a private place to make out?" barked Kiba, following him through the door was Sakura, Ino, Shino, Chouji and last of all Shikamaru who made it clear he did not appreciate being dragged up here when he could be doing something productive, like watching the clouds. Alas the business of others included him somehow.

"Who invited you anyway? I mean just 'cause you can't get any from Hinata you try and worm in on our time?" bit back Naruto.

"You…I…OH MY GOD You admit it then? You and him…" Kiba trailed off pointed and waving frantically between Naruto and Sasuke. How did Naruto guess about Hinata? It was weird how that boy was so observant.

"Oh looser, he means why bother us?" Sasuke corrected not totally minding that Naruto hadn't shuddered at the idea of two guys having their way with each other, especially after what had happened. 

"Well We thought we'd investigate, I mean an antisocial head-up-his-arse moron and a complete idiot failure. What can they possibly have in common that means so much time spent together," rambled Ino.

"No offence to either guys," Chouji threw in. He would be polite to the end.

"He a mate, more than I can say for you guys, I mean really." Naruto mumbled. Sasuke not totally missing this decided to end this as soon as he could, they had no right to come here to _their _spot and start demanding answers to something they had so little understanding of.

"Are you going to stand there and speculate or leave. Maybe if you were better friends then he wouldn't have the need to hang around with an 'antisocial head-up-his-arse moron' like me. So in short, bugger off." Sasuke then shoved passed Kiba pulled open the door and as a sort of courtesy held it open to indicate that they should be going.

Sakura and Ino left first, followed by Chouji and Shikamaru who was mumbling something about waste of time and lack of sleep. Kiba was last to leave and he left them the gift of glares and threats of finding out the truth.

"Well that was interesting to say the least, I mean you spoke, to other people, and more than one word. I'm impressed." Naruto beamed up from the floor and patted the ground next to him.

"Oh drop the act, I know they bother you. Tell. Now." Sasuke sat down beside him and leaned forward.

"Well okay if you _insist_, it's just that they sometimes only bother with me when it's something mad or to ease the ripples rumours about me create. They never noticed about him, or. Well they're not as observant as you and me ne?"

"Well some of them are about intelligent as the dogs they love so much."

"Ha ha well I guess that's true, I mean who drags poor old Shikamaru away from cloud watching, that's just cruel."

"Would you mind?" Sasuke inquired.

"Mind what?"

"Being with another guy, like you know, Kiba said."

"With you, you mean?"

"Hypothetically, yes." Sasuke tread this question carefully, the pain he would receive from rejection mattered so much more because with this boy he had shared secrets and pain with. It mattered because he cared so much about this one person.

"Hypothetically? No, I wouldn't mind, I mean…I like you, you know?" Naruto whispered, here was where he got told he was a freak and that it was unnatural and that he went against nature. Nothing he hadn't heard before.

"Good that way I can do this." Sasuke growing in confidence at the words uttered by the other grabbed Naruto's hair softly and pulled it (gently of course) so that Naruto's face was facing him and he leaned in to press chapped lips to soft ones.

Naruto's eyes opened wide and he blushed seven shades of pink, that was until he leaned into the kiss and responded instead of acting like a lifeless doll. He opened his mouth and felt Sasuke's tongue invade he mouth, they both mapped out the others orifice and memorised the unique taste that came with it. Naruto lifted his hand to place it over the one in his hair and melted the more Sasuke continued.

Sasuke felt his heart beat faster as Naruto eagerly responded and pushed back on him with vigour, breathing deep through his nose he nibbled on kiss swollen lips earning a throaty moan and he bit down sharply.

Naruto felt the sharp pain of the bite but it brought with it renewed passion. He was running out of air fast, not quite grasping the concept of breathing through ones nose. He pulled back slowly, a trail of saliva linking the two. It sagged and thinned eventually breaking and falling onto sliver of space between the two. He leaned his forehead against Sasuke's and whispered a husky "Wow."

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_So yea, they kiss at last. I've been trying to get to that point for ages…trust me it does have a purpose besides the build up to smut ha ha, READ AND REVIEW OR THREATS OF DEATH WILL BE COMING TO YOU! _

Sorry for the late update took too fg long to write. Considering it's only what nine pages long on works. 


	8. The First of Many Bad Choices

_WARNING: -Some sexual scenes_

_ -Stealing of the "Queen of Smut" crown from S.M. Ooh yea… cool face_

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Of Struggles, Pain, Power and Battle

By Spirited Dragon 

Chapter 8 The first of Many Bad Choices

They walked to their last lesson in silence, both thinking back to the kiss they had shared on the rooftop of their school. It was definitely the start of something new, a wordless way of agreeing to be together, both Sasuke and Naruto were better at expressing themselves with actions then words anyway. 

Realising they had to spilt to attend they're respective lessons, Sasuke reached out to Naruto and said "I'm glad you like me, I think, just maybe, I'm quite fond of you too."

"Well that's always a bonus, I wasn't sure if the kiss was a big enough giveaway," Naruto countered with humour.

"Oh bugger off." 

"I think I'm a bad influence on you mister."

"I know next I'll be wanting to scream 'na, na, na, na, na, nah' in people's faces when I'm right."

"And I do this when?" came the half growled reply.

"It'll come back to you sooner or later. I'm sure."

"Bye teme!"

"See you tomorrow Dobe, wash my damn clothes!" with that they went they're separate ways, Naruto off to enjoy a lesson of Maths and Sasuke also off to maths but a set one higher.

The day passed with little event but what neither boy realised was that plans were being set in motion by a dog. A dog that went by the name Kiba. At present he sat in an art lesson just messing around because everyone knew that this was a laid back lesson, do the work (eventually) and spend the rest of the time as a free period. He was sat at his table, with a many people cramped onto the one desk, the wooden surface was covered with paint and a messy portrait of a puppy was what Kiba had somehow produced. "Yo Shino, I think I could use this information."

"How?" was the monotonous reply.

"Well I I mean I could use it to bring them down a peg, I mean that Uzumaki looser thinks he's all that now that he's 'teamed-up' with Uchiha. Makes me so mad."

"I meant how would you go about using it," Shino slowed down the way he was speaking as if to say 'Yes I am speaking slowly can you understand me now?'

"Oh right," Kiba nodded sheepishly after his tiny rant, "We'll send them anonymous notes threatening to reveal their dirty little secret and shit then they'll be all like 'Oh my god! We have to sort this out! Please king Kiba help us!"

"King Kiba? You sure thought that through well."

"I ics…exs…I'm making it seem bigger but you know, This is an advantage on our part. So you in or out, I will have to kill you if you disagree but whatever, ten years of friendship GONE!" Kiba snapped his fingers in quick succession to emphasise his point.

"I have nothing better to do, what's in it for me?" With this Kiba pulled out a poorly made, pictures printed off and sloppily written handwriting, catalogue of bugs that could be considered dangerous. The boy with circular glasses sat mesmerised and seemed to glimmer as he went of to 'la-la land.' Any hope of contacting him was lost right then.

"Although I have to say, that kiss was kinda hot," concluded Kiba softly, he then went back to flicking paint at some people while trying to catch a certain lilac eyed, indigo haired girl. Oh Hinata, you are doomed.

At the end of the day Naruto waited at the gate, apprehensively debating on whether or not to wait for Sasuke or run home, Gaara may not have been in but that didn't mean he was off the hook. Speak of the devil Sasuke came up to Naruto and noticing he was day-dreaming on account of glassy eyes, punched his arm. Hard.

"Oh, oh my fucking god, you…bastard! Why would you do that?" screamed Naruto in pain. He rubbed his sore arm and stalked off towards the bus stop. 

"Wait up, I mean I have something important to tell you!" Sasuke shouted after him, he jogged evenly to catch up and pulled on Naruto's bag bringing him to a halt.

"What now?"

"Well first, sorry but you were asking for it, day-dreaming like that…"

"Sorry for being human teme." 

"You're forgiven," not caring for interruptions he carried on quickly, "Want me to walk you home? I mean what with Gaara and all I thought I could help out with that you know?" He whispered the last part. 

"Oh, wow. I mean thanks but you know I'm handling it. I think that, well basically he needs to understand this one thing, I can take it till that day. I'm tougher than you think you know?"

"You're handling it?" Sasuke's eyes were narrowing as he said this and his face twisted into a frown. "Is that what you call handling?" He pointed to Naruto's neck and reached over to pull open Naruto's shirt, putting the fading but still very visible bruises on show." He could've killed you and your _handling it_!!"

"You don't understand! I," he paused "I'm part of the reason his family are," he stumbled again lost for the right words "They're dead Sasuke. I killed them and he has _every_ right to do these things. It's nothing worse than what would happen in prison. Don't tell me I'm doing the wrong thing. I know what I'm doing and you should just stay out of it! Leave me alone already!" Naruto was breathing heavily and looked flushed, it was almost cute except for the fact they were arguing for something that could end up putting Naruto in hospital or worse. The morgue. 

Sasuke pushed Naruto in against the bus stop, pinning him between the plastic seat and the inner part of the shelter. Half screaming at his friend he said "Me tell you what to do? Of course I will tell you what to do! Since you can't think for yourself! I know what's going to happen Naruto I've seen it before! You forget my whole family left my brother to do what he wanted and where are they now? They died too! I'm just as alone as you. I feel everything you do but more! I had a family and now they're gone. Something so important missing from me. It's like my whole heart has been butchered out of me. Don't you tell me what I can and cannot do! I will help you because if you die too, if you get hurt I'll never forgive myself. I couldn't save them but maybe I can save you?" He leaned forward relinquishing his grip on Naruto's collar and let his hands fall to his side.

Naruto reached up, thanking a higher power for the seclusion of this bus stop, hardly anyone used it since it had only bus that went to areas that were either below them or too far above them. He cupped Sasuke's face and leaned in to kiss him gently, he poured emotion into that kiss conveying how he thought the world of Sasuke and that he understood, the last thing that hung in the air when they separated was that Naruto had know idea, but it would never work. Sasuke would have to leave.

"Sasuke, I owe you so much, but you're only going to get hurt, trust me when I say that I can deal with it. If _you _get hurt or killed _I _would never forgive myself. Please." Sasuke stepped back and a sadness passed through his face when even now Naruto didn't believe he could help yet he believed that Gaara could still find the place in him to forgive him. Standing up straight he said moved forward and leaned in to Naruto's ear. 

"Naruto, I'm taking care of you now. Listen and obey only me. Feel everything for only me. Live and breathe for me. I am coming back to your house today and you will let me in. Now, follow me, the bus. It's here."

Naruto looked at him in slight shock and nodded, he could relinquish control, surely for this one person. Maybe with him he'd have enough power to fight back and they could all be set free. Naruto from his demons, Sasuke from the guilt and Gaara from the past.

The bus ride was rode in silence, the route less crowded than the morning because of the time. Naruto couldn't stop fidgeting, moving slowly backwards and forwards, shaking his legs he wrung his hands in anguish. This couldn't end well. Gaara was the strongest person he knew and the last thing he wanted was Sasuke to end up hurt because of him, he knew he was destined to do so much more. "Sasuke?"

"Yes," Sasuke replied half heartedly. He couldn't, didn't really no what to say to the boy sitting next to him. He didn't know what he could say, his little breakdown surely must have explained it all?

"You don't have to come. I mean you could get hurt, are you willing to injure yourself for me?"

"What part of not loose you too, didn't you understand?"

"I got it, just, I don't want to loose you either. It hurts when people die because of me. I should be protecting them." Naruto stared fixedly at Sasuke as if to emphasise the point he just made.

"Well it's my choice. You have no say in the matter, really."

"One more thing then?"

"What!" Sasuke glared at the blonde. All this conversation was really taking it's toll, after years of silence and the bare minimum of words required he was still getting used to the whole 'replying' thing.

"Thanks, not many people care as much as you do." Naruto leaned in and softly pecked Sasuke on the cheek, a show of affection and not one person could destroy that moment.

Sasuke followed Naruto off the bus when they reached their stop and after a short walk through a triangular shaped park they reached Naruto's small but decent looking flat. [1 Naruto pulled out a key with a orange cover on a black lanyard and slid it into the well worn door. Turning it slowly he shoved the door open with force and walked in gesturing Sasuke to follow.

As Naruto paused to remove his shoes as he always did he felt a hand on his shoulder and Sasuke shook his head. Naruto understood, they might need a quick escape and they might not be there long. He padded as silently as he could through the short hallway and made his way to his joint living and dining room, expecting the worst he was silently shocked when he saw an empty space. "He's not here?" he said in disbelief. He wasn't late and had done nothing wrong that he knew of. Then again he wasn't good at noticing when he did things that displeased Gaara. That was Gaara's job.

"What?" Sasuke questioned.

"I mean he's not here. Look," Naruto wildly gestured towards the sofa where Gaara would normally be waiting. There was nothing. Not even a moulded dent in the upholstery. 

"Hn. Look closer I think he left you something." Sasuke pointed at the dining table and in an oddly déjà vu setting there was a note meticulously arranged on the table. Naruto quickly scanned it and every so often his eyes would open a fraction, or close in relief. Sasuke walked over to where he stood and impatiently pulled the note out of Naruto's hands and read it aloud.

_"Naruto, pet. I will be away for a while do not be disappointed I'll make it up to you the day I come back. I'll make you hurt so good you might have to miss a day off school away from that Uchiha-_chan_ you seem to love so much. While I'm away I expect a few things to be done. You will be attending a function at my home where I Have important friends, you will know them well, coming over. Entertain them how you will but do not ruin this opportunity. Also there is a box under the kitchen sick. Use everything in it once and make sure to provide proof. Finally, In regards to your new 'friend,' get rid of him. I know you seem to have grown attached but what he do if he knew the truth? About what YOU did and how you did it. You could tell him and loose him or spare him the details. Either way he should be gone when I See you soon. You have four days to do all this and one day to do whatever, just don't top yourself. Lots of Love your Master and Shikaku." _Sasuke finished and he was breathing heavily and his hands were shaking with rage. He ripped the letter to shreds looked at Naruto who seemed indifferent to it all, almost as this was something easy. How much had he been forced to do if this was the easy stuff? 

Naruto looked up innocently and his soft blue eyes looked questioning. He tilted his head to the side and asked a barely heard "What?" 

"What? How can you be so calm? I mean look at this? He wants you "entertain" his friends, use god knows what on yourself and get rid of me!" Sasuke, maybe most offended at the 'getting rid of him part,' was moving steadily closer and his voice was on the verge of screaming. It grew in sound and pitch with every step. Naruto stood silent and seemed to maybe be a little angry.

"What do you know Sasuke? Huh? You wanted to come and fight him but he's not here so maybe you should be relieved you didn't get beaten to pulp! This is nothing! I've had to do worse so this a breeze, if you read it he even said I could have a day to myself. That, if you hadn't realised, is a rare thing. So understand already or get the fuck out!" Naruto had tears flow freely down his face and he realised he had subconsciously tried to follow Gaara's request to get rid of Sasuke. He was such a bad person.

"Get out?" Sasuke's voice had dangerously lowered and his eyes narrowed. All the signs for conflict were there but both chose to ignore them. Sasuke lunged forward at a speed rarely seen and grabbed Naruto's wrist roughly and pulled him into the kitchen where he went straight towards the kitchen sink and ripped it open yanking out a pristine looking cardboard box. Pushing Naruto roughly against the elongated worktop he placed the box next to his friend and opened it with no care to the way it was arranged. Dumping the contents on the floor he thread his hand into Naruto's well kept hair and forced his head to look down.

"Look? Can you honestly accept this? Are you happy being used as someone's toy, ready to be replaced or thrown away at any time? Will you tell me you're happy taking photo's of yourself with things like this in and on you? Don't make me laugh! I know you, you're too proud and stupid to do that. Just for once, even for one moment just let go and fight to be free!" Sasuke shook Naruto's head from side to side and waited from some reaction. He got one.

Naruto reached up gripping the hand in his hair and bit on the arm that it was attached to. Tasting blood he punched Sasuke in the gut winding him and making him fall to the floor, he kicked him hard and watched his loosely termed friend roll over and then in a move completely unexpected by both he sat on the boy and locked eyes with him. Speaking low and slowly he said "You read when Gaara said 'what I did and how I did it'? Well I'll tell you. Maybe then you'll get why you're such a stupid fucking fuck-face teme trying to get involved. When his family came home it was already too late, Kyuubi had taken over and was laughing at me watching but not being able to do a thing. I was crying and shouting for them to get away because I could feel his need to kill. They came to me and his sister said hello. That's when he…I went berserk and lunged at her. Squeezing her neck hard I felt her pulse beat erratically and she fought back so well. I pulled out a knife from a hidden place and slashed at her face, ruining her beauty wasn't enough I stabbed her over and over and over. Her brother, Gaara's brother tried his best to stop me but I felt no pain. For a moment I had no past or future I was only there in the moment.

I felt the warm blood of her cover me and stick to me, I saw him retch at the smell and used his moment of weakness to take him down as well. When I was done there wasn't much left. I even made sure he could never run away by breaking his knees. When Gaara found me Kyuubi immediately let go of the control and I crawled as fast as I could to the corner, covered in blood. Everything covered in blood. Warm and sickly sweet. I was going to get rid of myself too but he stopped me. He said death was to easy. So here I am paying for what I did. GET THAT INTO YOU HEAD!" Naruto's eyes were flicking between red and blue, his whiskers seemed to become more prominent. Sasuke felt the full force of Naruto's anger radiate of him.

Acting fast he shifted so that he was more evenly on the floor and pushing Naruto's chest he flipped them over and did the only thing he could to calm Naruto down (distract might be a better word.) He kissed him. He pushed his lips against Naruto's feverishly kissing him, heat emanating from the two he licked a trail along Naruto's neck half enjoying the way he trembled slightly and the way Naruto was panting hard, his eyes shut tight. He began to suck and bite at Naruto's neck intent on leaving the biggest love bite he could. He slid his hand under Naruto's shirt and he trailed a cold hand upwards. 

Naruto shivered at his touch and tried to move away from the cold touch that contrasted so sharply with his own body heat. He groaned when the intrusion began to toy with a nipple and at the same time another hand was fiddling with his belt. His eyes snapped open and he began to struggle half heartedly. "Sasuke!" Nothing. "Sasuke don't, you don't need this. I'm fine now!"

Sasuke pinched his nipple hard and Naruto breathed in sharply. "Dobe," Sasuke growled, "How many times till you get that _you_ don't tell_ me_ what to do and_ I_ will do what _I_ want. Just feel." Naruto relented and pulled Sasuke down for another kiss one that was filled with undying need and pain all at the same time. He made sure he dominated that kiss and made Sasuke feel what he could do. He bit on his top lip relishing in that fact Sasuke was giving in so easily. He sucked slowly on Sasuke's tongue and savoured every bump and imperfection in the teen's mouth.

He made a wanton noise from deep within his throat when he felt Sasuke's hand slide under the waistband of his boxers. It was a new experience and he was silently begging for more, every move he made was aching with desire. He arched upwards and was instantly pushed back down. The kiss long broken Sasuke focused on more important things. He moved lower down and kissed the hemline of where fabric met skin on Naruto's hips. "Sasuke, what…" Naruto breathily asked.

"Watch this dobe." Naruto's eyes which had been clamped shut since he felt the soft flicker of a kiss touch his hip, flew open and gazed at a raven head perched over his groin. Sasuke, kneeling, used his hands to pull Naruto's boxers and trousers down to his ankles in one go. Freeing an erection already hard with need.

Sasuke lowered his mouth and Naruto closed his eyes in bliss at the realisation of what was going on and when he felt a warm heat encase him. "Sasuke, please," he croaked, his throat long since dry. 

"Please what?" Sasuke said around his member, he lifted his head clean off and spoke once more, "Please stop?"

"Never stop," was the instant reply. Naruto was breathing hard and fast, his breathe coming in rapid pants. Sasuke had barely touched him and he was already begging for more. He never begged, not until it hurt. Sasuke chose this moment, seeing as he saw Naruto was a little distracted, to resume his previous ministrations.

He licked the head of the cock in front of him and blew gently on the tip, causing shivers to run down the others spine. He worked slowly downwards taking as much as he could in, gathering saliva in his mouth he moved his tongue round in slow circles on the underside of Naruto's erection. Naruto could feel his mentality slipping and wondered briefly how it had got to this point.

Naruto tried to thrust upwards into Sasuke's mouth but couldn't as a hand pushed his pelvis down firmly and hard. Naruto felt a pressure build up as Sasuke began to suck hard and he cracked open his eyes and with blurry eyes saw a bobbing head of black hair, Sasuke leaned on one of his arms and used the free hand to play with the base of Naruto cock and he roughly stroked his balls.

Naruto didn't think he could take it much more and with a low growl he came, Sasuke smirked at the thought of having achieved this and swallowed slowly keeping his eyes trained on Naruto's upper half . Drawing every last drop he finally let go of his hold on Naruto and stood slowly. He walked over to the kitchen sick and drank some water to which Naruto, barely recovered said "That bad huh?"

"You should try it."

"Maybe I will. I think now I'll just lay here. Floor's quite comfy don't you know?"

"I'll take your word." Sasuke walked out of the small kitchen leaving Naruto on the floor and Naruto rose slowly. Doing up his trousers he winced as he felt his legs buckle. So much for post-orgasmic bliss. He followed Sasuke into the living room and sat on the floor in front of him.

"You didn't have to," stated Naruto meekly.

"I wanted to, plus you needed it," Sasuke replied matter-of-factly.

"Looks like you needed it more," Naruto grinned as he pointed with his head in the direction of Sasuke's hard on. 

"Fuck off."

"What's up your arse?"

"Oh for gods sake!" Sasuke shouted and couldn't believe how easily Naruto was switching his moods. "You say you like me but you won't let me help, you accept all this shit and then tell me to fuck off. I give you a fucking blowjob and that didn't even get us anywhere!"

"Oh so that's how it is, is it? I wouldn't have let you carry on if you felt that THAT was all you had to do to make the world a place full of sunshine and rainbows! Wake up, life is tough."

"Oh and I don't know anything about that?"

"Well you've been pretty sheltered, I would say that's the very least"

"How…Are you retarded? Of course I know life is tough, I have a maniac of a brother who killed my whole family. But oh! I'm sorry if that isn't "tough" enough for you."

"Blah blah blah, maybe you should sort your own life out first before interfering with mine, I told you I'm handling it!"

"_Very_ well."

"Exactly."

"Oh fuck off Naruto, you know what I don't need this. Whore yourself out for all I care." Sasuke rose from his seat and stormed effortlessly to the door, he pulled it open and turned to say a few more things before he left. Naruto beat him too it.

"You know, so much for a fucking friendship, you waltz in here pretend to care but in the end you run away like a spoilt brat. Which you are by the way."

"You.. I can't believe you sometimes. _Maybe_ you do deserve what you get off Gaara. _Maybe_ he had the right idea when dealing with a lowlife like you!"

"Low life. Oh like I haven't heard that before," Naruto retorted bitterly.

"Deal with it, the truth hurts."

"Not as much as this will tomorrow." Naruto ran forward quickly, he raised his fist and pulled it back and aimed true to Sasuke's face and hit him full on with all the power he had. Sasuke stumbled and gripped his face and then shifted and threw the door shut. Growling almost incomprehensively he tripped Naruto with a kick and shoved him onto the door. Pushing himself onto Naruto to block escape he stared at the blonde inches from his face.

"Oh that's your plan then? Hit me till I go away?" questioned the bruised in more ways than one, Uchiha.

"Got you good too, but oh! Did that hurt your poor pretty face? Maybe It was too "tough" for you."

"Uzumaki, try that again I'll make sure whatever Gaara does is a walk in park compared to what I will do to you." Sasuke griped Naruto's collar and roughly placed a chaste kiss on his already swollen lips. He then turned them around and shoved Naruto so far back he fell to the floor in a heap. Confused and dazed he looked up to see Sasuke leaving. As Sasuke closed the door he heard him say "Oh and Uzumaki, you taste fucking awful." The door slammed shut and Naruto curled up. "Happy now Gaara?" He thought, "Even when you're not here I live for you."

Sasuke was speeding home at an abnormal rate and so many thoughts were buzzing through his head. "Stupid dobe," he mumbled to the wind, the only time he lets some one get close he get rejected. He went to so many lengths to try and help him, he offered to save him, he dealt with all the grief and it was for nothing! Absolutely nothing. He'll show Uzumaki. He's show what happens when you mess with the Uchihas.

"God that sounded lame even in my head." Sasuke added as an afterthought.

At school the next day, registration was tense but unmentioned. Most people overlooked the awful atmosphere that hung over Naruto and Sasuke, they overlooked the way Naruto had tried to bury himself in the wall by seating himself as far away as possible from Sasuke as possible without moving. Sasuke sporting a blackish bruise on his face feelt rage untamed threatening to break free and moved seats the same day, within five minutes of registration and sat next to Sakura. Ino being absent that day leaving the only available seat.

He was almost regretting moving but the fact that sitting next to this pink bimbo was the only other option besides Naruto. He'd deal with her sickly sweet advances. She was scooting non to subtly closer to him as time wore on and he was rapidly running out of chair. Desperate times called for desperate measures. "So Sakura Haruno if I'm not mistaken?" Here he went, he started to talk to the bubblegum fairy.

"Sasuke! I mean, yes that's me. My name that would be it." Inside Sakura slapped herself for acting like such a virgin. "What class do you have next Sasuke?" Ooh smooth.

"Business, and you?" Sasuke cursed his polite upbringing. Damn automatic responses.

"Graphics! We're making our mobile phone designs today, I hope I do well I've always been good in tests but practical things evade me. You know maybe I should practice more it's just I'm busy with coursework and not to mention I have a recital coming up soon. Talk about stressful!" She ceased prattling on and tapped Sasuke on the shoulder who had a vague glazed over eye look.

'Oh shit,' he thought and quickly changed the subject to avoid interrogation "What's the story with Uzumaki over there?"

"What do you mean?" Sakura turned to face him and looked positively quizzical.

"He's very, manic and down right annoying. A right DOBE." He said the last bit with a raised voice hoping deep down to cause a reaction but all he got for his efforts was a half committed glare.

"Oh that! Well he's always been a little bit mad I guess. I remember this one time in Primary [2 school he ran around the play ground trying to prove how cool he was and then climbed this tree and got stuck! He was there for hours before he let anyone help him - that's how him and Iruka first came to know each other- he's so stubborn like that. Anyways! Yea he's always alone and never really has anyone discipline him, I think his parents must spoil him. He's always getting into fights too but then oh yes that's right" She suddenly frowned although she seemed to have an epiphany, "After the last summer holiday he came back all different, all quiet and dead. All he does now is disappear, reappear all injured and sleep. I think he's joined some sort of underground cult or something. You never know with his type."

"Haruno, you really should think before you speak. Naruto never has anyone to _discipline_ him because his parents are dead. Just. Like. Mine you insensitive _bitch_. Also if you noticed all that then why not do anything about it? You people and your "type" make me sick. Think about this, maybe he's so stubborn just to see who cares enough to keep trying. Get out of my sight looser."

Luckily for the newly distraught Sakura it was time for their first period and she made sure to be the first to leave, she liked Sasuke so much it hurt and even those harsh words were held dear to her heart. She's have to make it up to him soon but first Graphics.

After an uneventful first half of the day, Sasuke was walking at a slow pace to his last class, he was confused by his own actions. He wanted so much to hurt Naruto but at the same time he felt a sort of possessiveness whenever someone else talked about him. He wanted Naruto for his own and simultaneously felt the need to pay back every wrong done to him. It was a confusing time.

He didn't notice a petite girl with shoulder length purple hair, slender fingers fit for any pianist and lilac eyes run towards him; partly because she moved almost silently and partly because he wasn't quite aware of his surroundings. Needless to say they slammed into each other and she stumbled backwards and fell whilst he just had managed to retreat a few paces. God was surely mocking him today. "I'm so sorry," Hinata immediately replied. She held her head low and got up effortlessly and turned to run away. Sasuke grasped her elbow.

"Stop apologising every time something goes wrong."

"I should've been looking where I was going, I'm very sorry. Please excuse me," her voice was laced with concern and urgency.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"I…well…it's just that…Na..Naruto." She muttered.

"The dobe? What happened?!" Sasuke switched all his attention to this one shy stuttering girl in front of him .

"My cousin told me that he.. Well… he" She struggled to find the right words for Sasuke as he stood there impatiently.

"What! Just tell me!" his raised voice said.

"He's been suspended. For fighting with some o… ol… older boys."

"Is that all?" Sasuke turned to walk away, he had been worried for nothing and the simple fact he was worried troubled him deeply. 

"Sasuke?" Hinata called out somehow finding her voice, "They tried to…well they did more than attack him; He fought and before he passed out he said…"

"He said what now?!" Sasuke sprinted through the maze of hallways, skidding slightly when he rapidly turned the corners. The hard worn floor was felt with every pound of his feet, the class doors he passed were all but a blur. A slalom of people's faces was what he dodged with ease and when he was refused, permission at the school reception, to leave he knew he would somehow have to try and quickly scale the main gate fence and be efficient about it. As he jumped to get a good foothold, someone or something tugged his trouser leg. It was Sakura.

"Haruno! Let go…"

"I know where you're going, you need to leave him."

"What? Why? What kind of a friend are you. Let go!" Sasuke pulled frantically at his leg. This girl was unnaturally strong.

"I'm not his friend that's why I have to tell you two things that might change your mind about leaving now. Leaving me."

"I don't have time for this," Sasuke cried urgently.

"Naruto, he's bad news, you know what happened that summer he came back all different? He hurt some people real bad, as in critical. He drove his _closest_ friend to suicide and you still chase him! I can't watch him destroy you too. I love you Sasuke! Just stay. Stay for your friends and stay for me. I love you so much it hurts when I see you. You know it feels like I'm running, so fast and so carelessly that everyone else doesn't matter, you are the only person I can see, hear and feel. Stay. I love you," Sakura was crying openly and she was begging with all her bleeding heart. Sasuke knew he should do something as he saw this girls world and life crumble because of him. He had to go.

"Naruto is my friend. I have to go."

"Everything he touches turns to ashes. He brings death!"

"Then I'll save him, you don't understand. I…I think I love him."

"You…but… Just leave him alone! He won't survive long anyways! You're too late."

"What are you talking about," Sasuke jumped down from where he was and stood towering over Sakura's slight frame. 

"Those boys. They did more than attack him. He's hurt real bad, like critical," her previous words were repeated and they sounded like a lifeless echo. Sasuke knew he didn't have time to waste but in that moment he slapped Sakura with but half his strength, that snivelling wreck was just so useless! He sprung over the gate and before he took off he whispered a "Thank you," to the girl whose heart he broke, whose secrets were revealed and the girl who stood broken in the slight wind. Sakura Haruno, she had finally stopped running.

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_[1 Flat Apartment, Block building. _

_[2 Primary elementary, for children between four and twelve._

_That is not patronising in any way, or not meaning to be. I just want to perfectly clear. I live in London so some things may not make complete sense. Plus I'm quite insane so little side notes benefit all! Now review and question or death by giant guard rabbits. That are suicidal, therefore they have nothing to loose. Be warned._

.  



	9. Still Ungrateful but Never Leaving

Of Struggles, Pain, Power and Battle

By Spirited Dragon 

Chapter 9. Still Ungrateful but Never Leaving. 

Sasuke ran towards the bus stop that would take him towards Naruto's house. He looked at the timetable, his watch and back again impatiently. It would not be here on time. "Shit," he thought and took of down the street hoping to get to Naruto before it was too late. It was Beyond hope. He sprinted down back roads, pushing past people who shouted at his impertinence, running faster and faster trying to will his legs to move quickly, he jumped over fences to save time. His muscles were burning with pain and his lungs felt like they had been soaking in bleach, they screamed at him and begged for oxygen. He didn't have time. He never had time.

A soft breeze pushed Sasuke's hair back and his bag hit his hip painfully; the young Uchiha figured he could make better progress without it so ditched it in the current garden he was in, hearing the ratting of things as they suffered in his haste and he continued to move. Sasuke knew he was close he could see Naruto's flat building from where he was and used his will power alone to kick his body into overdrive. Feet slamming into the concrete pavement, feeling all the cracks and uneven slabs with all every run, he turned into the open, communal driveway used by residents. Ignoring looks given to him by at the very least a dozen kids playing outside he ripped open the main door, he stopped dead in his tracks at that moment when he saw what the stairs were covered in.

A trail of circular blood drops and smears lead a path up and beyond into the peripheral where he couldn't see. He could be too late. It could be beyond hope. As he leaped the stairs, two at a time all that passed through his mind was that if his Naruto…If Naruto died there would be hell to pay from so many people. "I'll kill them; I swear to God, I will kill them."

He reached Naruto's front door and something new assaulted his senses, the faint smell of metal. It was the distinct aroma of rusty metal. What he smelt was Naruto's blood.

Sasuke tried to open the door hoping it would be unlocked. Lucky as he was, it wasn't [1 Walking in the opposite direction, he came, until his back hit the other resident's door he breathed in deep filling his body with much needed air. His eyes narrowed in desperation and determination and then he ran. He ran into the door hitting it side on where he presumed it would be weakest, where the locks were. The old door creaked in displeasure and he kicked at it to, hopefully break it down. After at the very least two kicks the door was beginning to give in, one more kick was all it needed and it buckled in on itself. Splintered from the frame Sasuke pushed past it uncaring, snagging his shirt on one of the many splinters left behind.

Ignoring the rip and feel of blood on his arm, he made his way through the short and turned over corridor. Pictures lay crooked on the walls, dents were a plenty and blood. So much blood. He let go of the breath he was holding since he saw the state of the corridor and turned the corner into Naruto's living room and it was here he saw Naruto huddled in a corner. 

He ran up to the only person he let in since the massacre and sank to the floor. Pulling Naruto onto his lap and discarding the way blood soaked into his clothes and smeared over his skin, Sasuke gently pushed back the damp locks of Naruto's hair.

"Dobe! Wake up," he pleaded urgently. "I'm telling you to wake up now!" His voice cracked and the pain he was feeling leaked into the air through his words. Sasuke felt as if his face was wet and realised he was crying. He never cried. Only the weak cried. The weak and the useless. That was what he was then? Weak and useless. He didn't stop the murder of his family and he didn't try hard enough to save Naruto. Weak and useless.

Weak.

Useless. 

These words kept repeating themselves over and over in his head as the tears dropped onto Naruto; Sasuke rocked backwards and forwards trying to coax the blond haired, blue eyed, six whiskered boy into waking. Trying anything, saying everything. Doing nothing. 

Naruto vaguely remembered being shoved out of a car near his apartment. He vaguely remembered crawling through up the stairs to reach his flat. He almost made out the details of stumbling into his corridor tearing up the place as he tried to not feel his wounds and keep Kyuubi at bay. What he didn't remember at all was Sasuke being there. How did he end up in Sasuke's lay bleeding all him while the other cried onto him. How did he see the Uchiha's lips move but not hear the orders, pleas and cries of anything for him to come around. 

He opened his eyes briefly moving back into the world of the conscious and tried to say something back. All that came out was a half-hearted insult. "Bastard." Sasuke stopped muttering and looked at Naruto's half open eyes. He was alive. He was still alive.

"Naruto, you need to get help. Wait here -"

"Sasuke, I can't he- I- urgahhhh!" Naruto half screamed and his body twitched in rapid spasms. His eyes were opening and closing and the grip he had on Sasuke's shirt tightened and tightened until his knuckles were white, the tendons stretched out under the skin. Sasuke tried to calm the boy knowing that all this movement could ultimately be the thing that killed the boy. Sasuke rubbed Naruto's forehead and tried to still him, he tried to stop Naruto hurting himself but it was know use. Naruto's twitching was getting worse and he shook violently, saliva ran down the side of his open mouth since he lost all control of himself and now Naruto's hands were opening and closing as well as his eyes.

Inside Naruto's mind there was a war going on. A war against struggle, pain, for power and battle. The Kyuubi no Kitsune had had enough of trying to sit docile whilst letting the imbecile that was his other half run the show. Now was a better time than any. Sneering at the cowering small child in the corner of the cell entrance foyer he said, **"Brat, we're going to get revenge tonight. I'ma going to start with that Uchiha kid for weeping all over us like a pansy. Us? Oh yes I mean me. After tonight, you won't exist anymore. I'll make sure you watch yet again as I kill all our enemies. Tonight Naruto. You die."**

"Stop!" the child in the corner. Naruto as a child, screamed, "Please stop! You're hurting me!"

"**I care since when? I'm making you feel the sixteen years I was trapped inside you. Watching you let yourself get beaten and hurt. RAPED. Weak, useless, cowardly nothing!" **The fox started to push against the sides of the cell with all it magnificent nine tails. Tails a vibrant orange and brown. The ceiling and floors around it cracked and then it laughed the laugh so powerful and bone-chilling Naruto inside his mind stopped shaking and moved with terrified steps to the middle of the foyer. There he stood in front of the great cage doors and willed them to hold. Now paralysed with fear itself he continued to stand there with his eyes wide open. The demon inside him ran to the cell doors slamming into them, attacking them with a full frontal attack. One hit was all it took. The seal ripped, the bars shattered, and the demon fox was free.

Naruto on the outside had stopped having a fit and let out one tremendous long scream. A scream that was brimming with pain, the only true way to convey what was happening on the inside. Then as soon as it had started, he stilled. Perfectly and most completely. Naruto moved no more. "Naruto!" Sasuke shouted at him. He didn't know what to do and shook him firmly. "Naruto, you can't- no won't die yet. That's an order."

"And who are you to order me around bastard?" A voice lower in octave and more drawn out than Uzumaki's normal speech manner spoke. 'Naruto' in one swift movement sat up and shoved Sasuke down where he then stood towering over him. "Think you're so big and bad just 'cause the brat let you push his snivelling self around? Reality check. Today I'ma skin you alive." 'Naruto', well Naruto only by appearance, reached down to grab Sasuke by the collar of his bloodstained shirt and lifted him up to eye level. Surprisingly strong for a person, a body that had lost a lot of blood and suffered near fatal injuries.

'Naruto' spat at Sasuke's face as a degrading sort of insult and Sasuke became enraged. No body disrespected his like that. Especially not some psycho, deranged "demon fox" that wasn't even real. He would at the very least fight back, although realistically his fatigue, concern for Naruto and experience with fighting demon foxes (or lack there of) would maybe, just perhaps hold him back.

Sasuke twisted out of the grip 'Naruto' had on him and pushed the boy away from him as hard as he could, in the process managing to wind 'Naruto'. He moved away from the corner swiftly knowing instinctively that being in a corner limited him greatly. 'Naruto' looked greatly amused and smiled in a feral, psychopathic way; this here looked like a challenge. A challenge with a very rewarding outcome when he won. "Ooh I see why the brat likes you. Very, what's the word? Feisty? Yeaa. The idiot loves you so much it's pathetic. Doesn't realise trivial things like CARING for people only hold you back. To be truly great you have to CUT OUT your heart, something I'ma prove by killing you." 'Naruto' ran towards Sasuke erratically making it hard for the Uchiha to predict his movements, this boy was uncontrollable like this. So unpredictable in his movements and the second before a fist slammed into his stomach he couldn't help but think the fox form was right about losing one's heart.

He fell backwards in a heap and blood trickled down the corner of his mouth in a sliver. Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he quickly tried to rise and weigh up his options. One, he could run and get the hell out of here, abandoning Naruto and all the baggage that came with him; Two, he could try to fight the fox and help his close friend. Three. Well the third option that sprang to mind was dying at the hands of Naruto's alter ego thing.

Watching 'Naruto' watching him he ran forward deciding even if he died he would save Naruto and try to set the boy free at last. He owed him that, he felt, the simple fact that he refused to turn his back from people he cared about didn't quite cover all the reasons he stayed to fight. Sasuke filled with renewed determination, remembering why he was there in the first place it seemed, sidestepped at the last moment just before he reached Naruto and dodged behind him in a calculated attempt to restrain him. 'Naruto' laughed and spun round in Sasuke's death grip (not so deadly) and leaned in close to his face. "Think you can defeat me huh? You're better than the others are they all tried to escape. Should've seen them scream and you know what? I can't wait to taste your blood once this game is over. Out of all the people the brat and I have destroyed, your death will finally be the one to kill him and this excuse for a body will be mine. I'ma be free thanks to your pretty arse." 'Naruto then kissed Sasuke harshly breaking skin as lips were crushed against teeth, he bit down hard enjoying the grunt of pain from Uchiha and then pulled back abruptly. Taking in the sight of a flushed Sasuke with blood leaking from shallow cuts on his lips, well to put it simply it was ORGASMIC. There was time for that later though, first he had to die. He punched Sasuke's face making it snap to the side and pulled his foot back to kick the bent over boy. Sasuke tried his best to regain the precious air his body so desperately needed so in vain tripped 'Naruto,' still bent double he breathed in pants, hard and fast. This was not going well.

When the last of the Uchiha's looked to where he presumed his friends body to be, he was not pleasantly surprised to find that 'Naruto' or should he say The Fox, Was nowhere in sight. He scanned the small living space but regretted not checking behind him when he felt something sharp pressed into the small of his back. It was happening again, the people or person he cared about was dying and he couldn't do anything to stop it. "-Ne Sasuke-Chan? Did Naru tell you?" 'Naruto was whispering into Sasuke's ear from behind him, taunting him. Almost waiting for an opportunity to stab him.

"Let him go."

"Why I think it's about time I had free reign, no one to order me around, no one to worry about and best of all. The best part of all this? Is that I get as much pain as I can with the brat suffering for it," 'Naruto' laughed sadistically and pushed the knife further into Sasuke's back ripping through skin even through cloth.

"I don't need to hurt him, let him go." Sasuke leaned into the blade in what seemed, in the moment an act of insanity. 'Naruto surprised as well by this slight display of what he thought was surrender tilted his head to the side in query, Sasuke noticed the relapse and was quick to advantage it. He grabbed an arm of his captor and leaned forward bringing 'Naruto' over his head onto the floor. Hard. 'Naruto' winded tried to catch his breath but didn't as a foot was placed onto his chest limiting his breathing, the knife long left his hand lay within reach but unnoticed. Sasuke straddled 'Naruto' and pressed his arm onto 'Naruto's' neck to stop the struggling, it was funny how everything between them was always repeating itself. Over and over, they were well and truly stuck. "Let him go," Sasuke demanded. 

"Think you've got the upper hand just 'cause I'ma under ya?" questioned 'Naruto'.

"Let. Him. Go or I'll force you, you can't have him he's mine and I don't share." Sasuke stared fiercely as he said those words and searched for any signs of the Kyuubi relinquishing control.

"You're as ignorant as the brat. He never learnt, he'll never know, it's the submissive that has all the CONTROL." 'Naruto' laughed and watched the shock blossom over Sasuke's face. He gasped trying to breathe, raspy and short. 'Naruto' pushed him off him and kicked the now limp body of Sasuke whose hand was sharply clenching and opening. A steady blood pool was filling the space beneath him and seeping through his shirt. The carpet was a deep crimson and 'Naruto' just watched as Sasuke's eyes glassed over. It was almost over. Just a few more breath's left.

"This is how your family felt huh? Feel the pain. You should always check your surroundings, you would've seen this coming if you hadn't been so useless," 'Naruto' continued to mock and crouched down next to the dying form of his friend pulling his chin up to his level. Before he could say more words of superiority, he coughed violently and clutched his stomach. Wheezing, 'Naruto' fell to the floor next to Sasuke and twitched in non-rhythmic motions. His hands gripped so tightly the tendons stretched over his knuckles. White.

Then it stopped. 

He stopped. 

Sasuke could feel his grip on life slipping but he had to protect Naruto and his body moved on its own accord, running on automatic. He rolled onto his side one arm over his wound and the other keeping his balance. 'Naruto' lay still and silent and he was breathing barely; Sasuke shook his shoulder gently and felt a sickness in him not caused from blood loss rise within him. "Sasuke," a soft whisper barely audible lifted itself through the deathly silence from the body on the floor.

"Naruto?" Sasuke opened his eyes and as he tried to brush tears from his eyes he collapsed next to Naruto.

"I told you to leave it teme." 

"We need to get you to a hospital, you're going to die. Dobe" Sasuke replied.

"So are you, and here we are wasting time on- this."

"I did say I was going to save you." 

"I told you to leave it alone, I was dealing with it!" Naruto coughed as he realised shouting was too much exertion for his body. Shutting down as it was. 

"Oh fuck off you moron, you knew, KNOW I couldn't do that." Sasuke, despite a grievous stab wound was still articulate and now pissed.

"Well then, see you in hell teme. I'm sure that's where we're going." 

"Hn, why?"

"WWell I personally have KILLED people, you're queer and yeah well there's no room for us up there with the saints." Slurred words were all that sounded.

"Idiot." 

"Bastard."

"Better that than a fool." Sasuke replied, his voice like that of a person in dire need of sleep. 

"Did you mean it?" Asked Naruto.

"What thing?" 

"He said you loved me, that's why it would hurt even more when I killed you," Naruto turned sloppily to face Sasuke reaching to entwine his hand with the other.

"Dobe, Come here" and with that Sasuke leaned forward stretching his neck to its limit and kissed Naruto. Lips covered in blood met in a soft fever, Naruto responding with enthusiasm he kissed back almost aggressively. Sasuke licked along the bottom lip of Naruto parting his lips for him when he bit them gently. Naruto let the dark haired boy's tongue enter his mouth and oddly caress his. Despite the coppery taste and the odd floating, light headed-ness -they were, most likely, both feeling- they carried on until they ran out of air, which is what it usually came to. Lips parting in a way so tragically they pressed forehead to forehead, a last act of intimacy. "Forever?" whispered Naruto, his cold breath moving in tendrils across Sasuke's face.

"Mine," came the reply, husky and almost not there. Darkness threw itself into the two boys and they fell into the world of the unconscious and quite possible the dead.

Time had stopped? What was this, Naruto couldn't see; all around him was nothing. Pure clinical white surrounded him, no shadows, corners or escapes. He tried to close his eyes only to find them already closed. Glued shut it seemed. He used force of will to pry them open and saw he wasn't far off on what he was seeing with his eyes incapacitated. He felt like he was lying down and the gentle beep of something or the other was all that shredded the silence; the air around him was chilled and smelled of a mix of cleaning products and Dettol disinfectant. He turned his head towards the beeping sound realising he must've been here, in this place, for a day or more. His neck was stiff and the muscles moaned at the fact they were obviously going from no movement to 'strenuous' activity.

The beeping was coming from a machine that yes was monitoring his heart rate, he wasn't the sharpest tool in the box but Naruto knew from ER [2 what some medical machines did. He looked down towards his feet and saw himself covered in a thin knitted blanket; arms pale and bruised littered with tubes and wires that hooked him up to a plethora of equipment. His eyes hurt, there was too much light in this room. Hospitals. Rooms that were so pure looking but were houses of death and solemn prayer, that's what hospitals were.

Naruto blinked the sleep from his eyes and tried to sit up only to buckle under his own weight -although in reality, he had lost a few since he had fell unconscious with Sasuke. He was saved from hitting the bed hard by a pair of arms that wrapped themselves around him. They were cold to the touch and very rough. "Naruto," Gaara said.

The boy in question looked up from his sheltered position and saw his master standing before him; red hair ablaze and even more intense in this room devoid of colour, his face was emotionless and showed no signs of concern of anger. It was in many ways worse than his wrath. Silence is deadly. He was wearing clothes that were wrinkled suggesting these clothes had been slept in; the heavy insomniac rings around his eyes were even more prominent. Naruto was confused. "Mas…Gaara," he paused and waiting for an outburst or sharp pain. Nothing. "What are you doing here? What am I doing here? I died."

"Naruto, how many times until you learn? Did you think almost death would stop me? If you die, it will be at the hands of me. You belong to me!" Gaara raised his voice and it was leaking fury, his hands, moved from their protective position were gripping Naruto's shoulders tightly enough to warrant bruises.

"Gaara! This is enough. Sasuke-" Naruto's voice broke momentarily at the mention of this name, but he continued on "No, I don't want this. I didn't do anything to you; I'm only guilty of having Kyuubi in me! A part of me. I've paid enough for the satisfaction of your sick pleasures. You don't own me, I don't belong to you and I won't have any more of your lies and bullshit. You're the biggest coward I've ever met, taking out your grief and pain on an old friend when you should have listened. Listened to what I had to say. You never listen-" Naruto finished head in hands, tears glistening at the corner of his eyes, he ignored the numbness he was feeling and wondered if he had done the right thing. He really could die for this little episode.

"Naruto, I- You killed them-" Gaara was interrupted by a cold calculating voice that emanated from the doorway.

"He did nothing you perverse bastard. That was the other him." Sasuke stood leaning against the doorframe, paler than normal with apparent weight loss and overall he looked very sickly. Still he had managed to control the room and command fear. "Even I know that."

"Oh you're the new boy, think you can save this little murderer? Help him through love and kindness? Is he your princess in peril?" Gaara mocked with the most condescending tone and moved away from Naruto on the bed towards Sasuke.

"He'll never be yours."

"He is mine and will be in the future."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and stood straight, reaching his full height he continued, "He always has been mine, right from the start."

"He's a killer."

"And you're a lowlife torturer, rapist, pathetic, blood lusting, cretin who can't get over the past."

"I could easily take you on too. Make him watch as I proved no one can help him past his sins against me." Gaara advanced slowly and watched for any sign of a reaction. He got none. Sasuke was as calm as still water and as unreadable as the world to the blind.

"I survived a Kyuubi attack and my boyfriend stabbing me. You're insignificant."

"We'll see," Gaara rushed forward, Naruto shouted and tried desperately to untangle himself from the bed he was in. He should've just kept shut. He needn't have worried though because as soon as if had started Sasuke had finished it. He had pinned the red heads arms behind him and pushed him into a wall, bending Gaara's arms till they creaked he lowered his voice so that only he and his victim could hear what was said.

"Touch him or come near him again and I'll take you to hell and back pervert. Get over it, he belongs to me." To emphasise this he twisted Gaara's arms more and revelled in the grimace of pain that went across Gaara's face and the grunt of discomfort. "Apologise and leave."

Sasuke released him and shoved him towards Naruto who was looking at him with curious and worried eyes. As if he didn't quite believe what was happening. Gaara straightened out himself and stepped up to Naruto's hospital bed. He noticed the visible flinch when he reached out to touch Naruto. He had never noticed. He had never listened. He took Naruto's face in both hands noting the tense stance Sasuke had adopted and spoke. "I'm letting you go. Never look my way again. That's an order koi." Nothing more and nothing less. Gaara kissed Naruto gently and chastely on the lips for the first time in a long time and left the room in a swift motion. Naruto was dazed and Sasuke looked exhausted.

"I'm free?" Thought Naruto, "He let me go, it makes no sense." 

"Jesus Christ I need to sleep, stupid dobe making me worry. Didn't even die pssht." Sasuke was ranting in his head. Naruto broke the tension with a simple gesture of 'come here'. Sasuke shuffled over to Naruto's bed and lay down next to him on it. It was a squeeze but this was how it was supposed to be. Naruto and Sasuke together, close enough to feel each other's heartbeat and the warmth (or lack) of the body next to them.

"Did you mean it?" Naruto questioned very quietly, afraid to break the silence of the room.

"About?" Sasuke returned.

"Forever, yours forever."

"I never say things I don't mean dobe. I'm never letting you go."

"Possessive much?

-Teme," Naruto added.

"Only to what's mine."

"Say it again. Yours."

"Idiot." Sasuke shook his head in disbelief and then said softly as he drifted off to sleep "Mine."

The day outside was miserable. The summer was almost over, instead of going down with a fight it relinquished itself, and let torrents of rain that came down in sheets to pour. Everything exposed was soaked to within an inch of its life and Naruto and Sasuke were no different. They stood outside the hospital after being discharged waiting for Hinata and Sakura.

A pair of girls approached them in a rush, huddled under one umbrella holding another in their hands. One girl who really should've have considered wearing more -she was adorned in a short denim skirt and pink tights and that was all that could be seen besides her coat- pulled down her hood and quickly shoved the spare umbrella over to them. "Thank you Sakura," Sasuke said blandly.

The four walked in silence, the two girls under one umbrella and the two boys suspiciously close under the other. The rain was relentless and yet pleasantly warm. The trudged further down the road to the bus stops that surrounded the hospital, waiting for any that would take them into the town centre.

Whilst sitting in silence, a tension so awkward and think hovered over them; Hinata did her best to engage all. "Naruto-kun, how are you feeling?" 

"Worse for wear I suppose, that is the right thing yea Sasuke?" Sasuke nodded briefly, "I mean it could've been worse."

"Make sure you take you medication," Hinata said rather loudly.

"Oh I will, plus Sasuke over here might help." Naruto laughed and slyly looked out of the corner of his eye noticing a slight blush creeping across Sasuke's face. The rain was slowly down its attack on the world, withering down to a mere drizzle. At last, a bus that seemed to be going to the town centre arrived and they got on shaking droplets of water off themselves. Sakura grabbed the seat next to Sasuke as soon as it became available and watched as Naruto stood near them scowling at the pole he was holding.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Barely there but very heartfelt.

"What for? The almost letting Naruto die, twice?" Sasuke's voice was bitter and gave the impression of controlled anger.

"Both, I didn't realise about you two, you always seemed so perfect and unreachable I needed to be with you, I needed anything. I was a idiot, a stupid little girl. Forgive me?"

"Even if I wanted to, I could never forgive leaving Naruto behind like that. If it weren't for Hinata he wouldn't be here being the idiot he is."

"I resent being called an idiot!" Someone among the throng of people called.

"Dobe then!" Sasuke shot back, "You still thought I would maybe like you if you saved me but if he died I would die. It's that sort of thing. So please stop your whining and begging. You're tragic."

"Harsh," Sakura tried to laugh it off but tears welled up in her eyes. He was right. She sat in silence the rest of the journey and thought back to the moment she walked in on Naruto's flat.

It was a mess; possessions and blood draped over every surface, even if the place had been clean before it would never be the same again. This room, the living room reeked of death and pain. She scanned the room quickly and saw both boys lying together on the floor. They seemed so intimate and Sakura's heart ached at what she would never have.

She ran over to them and checked Sasuke's vitals he was alive, barely but he was. She pulled out her mobile to phone an ambulance. Or should she phone for two? Naruto did this to Sasuke. He deserved to die. Sakura moved Sasuke into the recovery position, on his side, and shoved Naruto out of the way. She didn't notice Hinata rushing past her to Naruto's side, she didn't notice the paramedics take him away first. All she knew, all she heard and saw was Sasuke dying in front of her and everybody cared more for that, that monster.

Sasuke's ambulance arrived at the hospital in a blur of lights, cries, shouts for emergency procedures and the erratic beat of the heart monitor in the background. She was by his side, by his side until she couldn't be anymore and then Sakura, admirer for too long, waited. Six painful hours she waited patiently while they worked to keep him stable. In the first hour Hinata came to comfort her, she snapped and shrugged her off. In the second [3 Hinata came to tell her Naruto was doing fine and he should be awake in a few days, Sakura slapped her. Lastly Hinata came to say Sasuke was stable, no visitors of course but he was alive. 

Sakura went to visit eventually; she never left his side before why now? She was so angry that Sasuke had almost killed himself trying to 'save' that Naruto. He wasn't worth it. During the third day of waiting for him to wake up, she came to a deadly conclusion. Sasuke Uchiha, heir to the Uchiha family fortune, gifted and talented [4, aloof and unattainable would never be hers. She had held onto this dream, this false façade of hope for too long. Sakura with her luscious candy pink hair, soft jade eyes realised it was at that school gate she should've let go; they could never be what she needed them to be. She held onto his hand, whispered an apology and left.

As they arrived at the Town centre Bus Station, the bus jolted to a stop at the end of its route. They all got off in silence; well Naruto was talking non-stop so ALMOST everyone was silent. They walked slowly towards the entrance of the shopping centre. It was large and stood towering next to another shopping complex. They headed straight to the food court on the demand of Naruto. Whilst Naruto dragged Hinata off to collect food orders, Sasuke and Sakura sat and waited. They waited together and for a long time. "I really am sorry, I know I should've done more. I can't change the past but I'm working on changing me," Sakura turned and faced Sasuke who sat diagonal from her.

"Hinata told me what had happened, how you went with her to try and 'help', saved me and stayed with me for days," Sasuke commented, it wasn't a question or a remark, just commentary.

"I went to Naruto after I left your side and I apologised. He mumbled something but I can't be too sure. Who can be sure anyways but whatever." Both Sasuke and Sakura smiled although it is safe to say one was considerably less noticeable than the other was.

"You know I can't ever like you the way you do-"

"Did," Sakura cut in abruptly. "To think it took you almost dying for me to realise that."

"We understand each other then?" Sasuke looked her way and waited for a response.

"I don't think you'll ever be able to understand me!" Sakura let loose a belly deep laugh and felt content at this friend like atmosphere develop. 

"Oh damn my life ambition, gone." Sasuke replied sarcastically.

Sakura was about to throw a punch at him when Hinata and Naruto appeared with trays of food and all in all looking pretty smug with themselves. It's safe to say one look of smugness was more noticeable. Hinata sat next to Sakura and Naruto threw himself onto the chair next to Sasuke scooting it over a few inches, ever closer towards the forever-stoic teen.

They ate lunch and it was uneventful, Sakura and Hinata acquainted themselves with each other so that by the end of it they were at the very least, good friends. They talked about people they fancied or in Hinata's case didn't no matter how much she blushed when they were around. Sasuke and Naruto sat and talked in lowered voices in between eating. They were overly close to each other and from the outside in one could tell they were in deep with each other. "Thank you," Naruto whispered.

"Why?"

"You didn't stop trying; Gaara is finally letting me go."

"You were never his," Sasuke growled.

"Oh I think I know, a certain someone keeps stressing I'm 'his'," Naruto followed up with a short chuckle.

"I only speak the truth," Sasuke smiled and stared at Naruto's whisker marks. "Are you safe?"

"From him? Yea I have a lot more control over him now than before; he's actually sulking, believe it or not. Talk about entertainment value." 

"A laugh a minute I'm sure." At this point their faces were inches apart and they were oblivious to the two girls sat watching intently what was going on in front of them. There was nothing there, no past, no future. Only this moment and it was painful.

Being with each other, they both felt the intense lure the other had and while it kept them sane and stilled the waters of their heart, it hurt. It hurt to be away from each other, it was agonizing not being able to touch the other. This thing between them was as raw and intense as instinct itself, not even God almighty could ever match that.

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**[1 **_Sarcasm people aha ha LAUGH NOW! _

**[2 **_Medical Drama - S.M Tell me you got that or I will kill myself for authoric failure.   
_**[3 **_Fast regeneration/healing reference.  
_**[4 **_Like being on the honour roll I believe 'cept being G&T don't count for coconuts (much). _

_Sorry for the extreme wait. I will love _[ _you all for not giving up hope. Review please! And I'm working hard on getting this finished. Christmas should not stop me alas I foresee a lifetime of nothingness. TT_


	10. The Final Act

Of Struggles, Pain, Power and Battle

By Spirited Dragon 

Chapter 10. The Final Act. 

The four of them spent the afternoon moving between the two shopping centres; they waited for Sakura to pick out an outfit, endured the smell of new books in Waterstones for Hinata and simply watched Sasuke and Naruto fight over points in a film in the cinema, overall they enjoyed themselves. There was much conversation and when late afternoon approached they all decided split and go home. School would be an interesting experience tomorrow. "See you guys tomorrow then!" Sakura shouted before running off to catch her bus. The bus station was crowded with people of all shapes, sizes and ages that took every seat.

"How are you getting home Hinata?" Naruto questioned from where he sat on the stairs of the nearby train station.

"I'm getting 'escorted' home by a body guard." She trailed off whilst saying this and found something very interesting to stare at on her hands.

"Forgot you were a rich kid-ow! - well… we'll wait with you if you want." Sasuke looked very impish as Naruto rubbed his arm from where he had been punched.

"Oh no I have a pick up point so, it's really. I'll be okay." Hinata said her goodbyes in a blur of words and sped walked down the road. So quickly they realised it was over before it had begun.

Sasuke sat down next to Naruto and shuffled close. They sat in silence watching the traffic and many people walk past. Sasuke stood abruptly and said "Wait here, don't get into trouble." He bound down the stairs and walked into a nearby shop. From his current position, Naruto had no idea what was going on, but he hoped there would be food involved. What he wouldn't do for a bar of some creamy think Galaxy chocolate.

He wiped the tiny amount of drool off his face when his daydream was broken as Sasuke jogged back. Sasuke, who was thinner than ever, pulled out four bars of chocolate and some Red bull and dropped them onto Naruto's lap he held the bag and resumed his previous position,. "Sasuke, I think at this point I love you more than ever." Naruto's eyes glossed over and he tore into the chocolate, audibly moaning around it and sighing as he swallowed.

Sasuke smiled, "If this was all it took-"

"Hush I'm eating." Naruto cut him off.

"Not for much longer at that rate. Pig."

"…igeeott, I'm just enjoying this that all." Naruto guzzled his latest bit mid sentence, downed a can of Red Bull in one go. Sasuke just rolled his eyes rather melodramatically and emptied the last of the contents of the bag he was holding. A large packet of Benson and Hedges cigarettes and a lighter was what fell. He removed the plastic from around it and ripped out the top half of the foil covering twenty white, brown addictions. Plucking one deftly from its pack he placed it between what seemed like expert lips and lit it with ease, he let the first inhale of the smoke work its way through him before releasing it and turned to see Naruto's reaction.

Naruto was staring, still eating but staring none the less. He finished the second bar of chocolate quickly and snatched the packet from Sasuke's lap. "When did you start teme?" He questioned twirling the packet between his fingers.

"Same time all my family died."

"Gaara used to, back when we were friends. He stopped after I killed his family. They were always bugging at him to quit."

"Listen you have to stop-"

Cutting him off Naruto asked a question that startled the more than often, indifferent teen. "Can I have one?"

"When did you start dobe?" Sasuke smirked and handed one over. Leaning in close he lit it, all the while looking deep into his partners' eyes. Their faces lingered there as Naruto's voice dropped and stuttered a reply.

"Before…I mean now. Mainly now. I'm a light…lightweight." Sasuke enjoyed the way he could so easily make Naruto fluster, stutter and blush red with a few words. Or choice actions. Naruto breathed in a long hard pull and held the smoke in for what seemed like an obscene amount of time. He shifted his hand, the one closest to Sasuke's own and interlinked it tightly around his own. He smiled and let the smoke run free and straight into Sasuke's unwavering face.

The light from the sun was fading fast, the people of the town centre continued to rush around. Some were huddled close together, sheltering themselves from the occasional sharp gusts of wind that plagued the dusk. Cars, buses, taxis and every other vehicle trundled by them, some slow some at a dangerous pace. Still the sat together, on the stairs, hand in hand, just in the silence enjoying the heat from the other.

Sasuke stood abruptly and pulled Naruto with him when the clock had just about hit nine o'clock. Without saying a word he led them towards the bus station, through the main entrance at a pace that bothered many late night strangers, out a side door too slow to say he was sure where he was going and it was there he slowed to a stop. Here he stood powerfully over Naruto near gate C.

Naruto looked annoyed and confused the cogs of his functioning mind visible as the sifted through what had just happened. He gasped off cue and shouted melodramatically. "What the hell teme! Don't just drag people around, ask you selfish-"

"Shut up." Sasuke pushed Naruto harshly against the wall near a bin, which were more a ring and a floating bag if we're interested in specifics. He pressed his lips to the startled teens and moved in rhythm and passion. Naruto having enough of being so compliant for once swung them around so he was the one doing the pinning. He bit along the bottom of Sasuke's smiling mouth and chuckled when, without even protest, the mouth he was busy molesting opened. Sasuke ran a free hand down Naruto's side, tangling the other in soft, golden almost yellow hair. Naruto involuntarily shivered at the contrast of his constant warm temperature and the iciness of Sasuke's appendage. His hand had made its way under his t-shirt and hoodie; it had finished toying with the now supple skin and muscles of Naruto's chest. Sasuke's now warming hand was resting lightly half under the hem of Naruto's plain and quite loose boxers.

Naruto was almost purring by the time he felt a short lick to his neck, his head moved to expose his neck even more and eyes barely open lulled back in their sockets. His hands encircled themselves around Sasuke's hips and he pressed up against him. Naruto instinctively began to stroke and caress Sasuke's hips, as his own neck became a mess of bruises and invisible trails of saliva. Nearby a train roared to a hasty stop at the station and flashes of light ripped apart the darkness of night. It didn't bother them. They didn't even notice.

Reluctantly they pulled apart and just stayed pressed together. Their foreheads touching and breath ticking their faces there was a content feeling that hung in the air. "I love you," Naruto whispered unsure and uncertain of what his words could do. Sasuke lifted his lids so his eyes met the gorgeous insecure boy in front if him. 

"Say it again," he demanded in a tone barely heard.

Flashes of hurt passed through Naruto's eyes but he said it anyway. "I love you," his voice told the difference, it has less feeling; it was very dead in that moment.

"Dobe, I…I love you." Sasuke said, faltering only slightly. He raised one hand to stroke the area of Naruto's neck and chin. He was so useless at getting words out sometimes. Especially when words mattered. Naruto, never one able to hide his emotions properly smiled broadly and hugged Sasuke tight. They knew the words had always hung over them but they never had said it aloud. It was still painful though, the thought of rejection or denial. Even the dreaded 'I'm not ready for love yet' line.

Their bus trundled to a stop near them and they unwillingly let go of each other to move onto it. Their passes beeped and they climbed the stairs to the almost empty top deck. Looking for a pair of clean empty seats, they were hard done by, but eventually they were graced with luck. Near the back on the left. Naruto slid into the window side seat and Sasuke fluently sat down next to him. Close. Sasuke watched Naruto watching the world pass them by through the window. There was a content feeling in the air. He tapped Naruto's thigh softly and asked, "What happened?"

"You what now?" Naruto turned his face to him and questioned him with not only words but also quizzical eyes.

"That day before we ended up in hospital. You were banged up." Naruto looked sad when Sasuke said that and his head dropped dramatically. He thought about how they had only just made the profession of love. Hoe they had only just become open about their relationship, given only Sakura and Hinata knew. He thought back to what had happened and how he was ready to die in that moment. Was he ready to relive it all? Was Sasuke ready to know the details of that day?

Sasuke could practically see Naruto doubt he could handle the truth, he was so easy to read; Well he was an expert on people despite his antisocial tendencies. He needed to know if what Hinata said Naruto did was true, he thought back to how he was ready to take down anything just to get to him. He realised that he might not be ready for the details of that day but if they loved each other, would that be enough?

They rode the bus in silence, background noise from passengers few and far between. The only constant that was there was a tension thick and heavy.

It came to point where neither could speak even if they wanted to, it was a mess of started sentences and polysyllabic words. Sasuke rose silently and moved towards the stairs, despite the shaking and jumpy movement of the bus he managed to remain fluent. Naruto followed out of habit and then stopped. It wasn't his stop.

"You don't have to tell me the truth, just-

Stay with me." Sasuke's voice was one that was trying hard not to sound weak. His back to Naruto, he dreaded the answer. People always left him in the end out of self-interest he drifted off; this blonde haired Looney was the only person since that day he wanted to keep around him. Wanted to be around.

Naruto smiled softly and walked past Sasuke grabbing his hand in a tight hold. Going down the stairs with a stunned boy in tow they both jumped off the bus, just in time. The bus drove off and they were left standing in dim light from the bus stop, its eerie yellow glow highlighting everything good and everything bad about them. It was honest. "Where do we go now?" Naruto whispered, his body undeniably close, his blue eyes narrowed into an expression somewhat lecherous. Sasuke thought, "I just know I love an outrageous guy."

Taking the lead Sasuke pulled Naruto down the road where this time even though silence once again filled the air, it was a silence more playful and content. The night breeze whipped past them in approval. Every so often Naruto's hand somehow let it self go and went wondering somewhere else. It happened one too many times and Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks.

Turning swiftly and standing to his full height, he narrowed his eyes in a threat and Naruto just shrugged and smiled. Sasuke wouldn't have it.

Walking complacently and rubbing his head, Naruto scowled. He pushed his hair out of his face and dropped his jaw when he saw where his boyfriend lived. "Get in loser," Sasuke ordered.

"Bastard." As soon as he put both feet into the hallway he was attacked. Sasuke pushed him to the wall and kicked the door shut; winded, Naruto was stunned and just let the sensation flood him. Sasuke kissed his was from Naruto's mouth to his neck where he smirked internally when his partner moaned when he bit sharply on the neck. Naruto finally got his brain working and thought that if this was what he though it was, if it was leading where he wanted it to, it would not be in some shabby (scratch that, a very nice…) plain corridor. It needed to be special. He needed closure and a new start.

The normally passive whiskered boy pushed Sasuke off him, wincing as he forgot Sasuke was still biting him, and locked eyes with a hurt Sasuke. "Got a more comfortable room?" He softly said.

Sasuke, thinking karma is a bitch1 smiled and thanked any higher power. It was good to get things you wanted. People you loved indefinitely. "Follow me." He stepped up and the pair found themselves in his bedroom. Naruto, even in the lack of light, barely had time to take in the lack of furnishings and barely there personal things before he was half thrown onto the bed.

The bed was soft and made, plain black sheets and an oversized duvet that hung over the edges touching the floor. Sasuke crawled on top of him and supported himself on his arms.

For moments they just looked. Taking in everything about the person that had changed their life. "I love you," Naruto said with a full blush rising to his cheeks. Sasuke smiled and whispered a not quite loud enough "Me too."

Naruto was getting lost already and they hadn't even gotten to the fruit of this labour. He let his hand trail under Sasuke shirt and it skipped over muscles and a toned body. As lips descended onto his and massaged them in a way that went to his hips, he pulled the shirt Sasuke wore over his head. The kiss stopping only briefly. He loved the way it left Sasuke's meticulously arranged hair in a mess. This was perfect.

The two of them were entwined. Hands grabbing and pulling in a desperate way and at the same time lingering and enjoying the feel of skin. Sasuke returned the act of taking a shirt off and then kneeled up. He smiled a heart felt smile and undid the belt on Naruto's jeans. "Happy?" he asked.

"Definitely a ten out of ten thing," was the reply. It was enough and as he pulled the jeans and boxers down a warm hand stroked the side of his face tenderly. What could possible be left to say?

Naruto shut his eyes as his erection was freed and when he registered that there was nothing happening or no heat near him he opened them slowly. In the dark, it was hard to tell but Sasuke had moved to his wardrobe where he bent over to search through the sock drawer. He pulled out a small tube and what could be a condom then before climbing back onto the bed removed his own clothes.

There was nothing left to create a barrier between them, just a slight sheen of sweat. Skin on skin Sasuke confessed, "I've never done this before."

"It's okay, I trust you." Naruto guided Sasuke's hand to his arse and moved further up the bed towards the headboard.

Sasuke was in awe at the trust this person put in him; it was unnatural. He flipped open the tube and squeezed a liberal amount on his three fingers. Placing one at Naruto's entrance he asked "are you sure, we don't have to-"

"If you don't I'll kill you." Naruto growled cutting him off. He eyes flashing a slight red for what was barely a second.

"Your wish," Sasuke commented and pushed his first finger into Naruto, who let out a gasp as the weird sensation of something, cold and wet in him. It was so different. It was nice. Sasuke let his finger just sit there and watched Naruto's face; it was definitely something to commit to memory. He felt a slight movement as the blonde moved his hips down ever so much. He smiled and pushed the second finger in feeling a little guilty as Naruto tensed and winced a little. "Relax," he murmured. He pushed both fingers in and out in an even rhythm stealing wanton moans and gasps from Naruto.

"More!" Naruto said through breath. His chest rose and fell sharply, his hips were slowly gyrating and his cock2 was hard with need. As Sasuke pushed in his last lube covered finger he let out a long and loud "uh…ohhhh."

Sasuke was ready to give him just that. More. He pulled out his fingers quickly and suddenly with no warning causing Naruto to grip the duvet in a tight lock, his knuckles white and the tendons stretched. He ripped open the condom wrapper and slipped it on in a swift two-handed affair. Kissing Naruto passionately a final time, he lifted Naruto's legs onto his shoulders and pushed himself into him, slowly and carefully.

The sheen of sweat had become more apparent on the two naked bodies and in the low light; it was reflective. Naruto's eyes were screwed shut and his mouth was openly gasping, he would sometimes try to stifle himself and bite his lips but it never stuck. As expected of someone like him, he was a loud lover. As Sasuke moved his hips further, pushing more deeply into Naruto his breathing uneven and harsh.

Naruto whose eyes were oh so shut, looked through half-lidded eyes when there was a pause in movement. Sasuke's eyes were shut and he was trembling slightly, something you wouldn't have noticed unless you were looking and taking in every detail. His head dropped and hair slightly damp fell to cover his face. Naruto lifted that face and kissed it briefly, something chaste. "Please move," he begged in an oddly commanding voice. It was paradoxical.

Sasuke nodded and pulled out to the tip and pushed back in a sharp motion. He moved in a fast rhythm and relished the sounds let loose by Naruto. Naruto's hands let go of the duvet and one lay over his mouth in a loosely closed fist and the other lay above his head. He was totally beyond muscle control.

The heat the enveloped Sasuke's manhood and the slowly evening out tightening grip by Naruto told him that his love was so close to being spent. He used one hand so pump Naruto's erection and as he moved up and down, round, in and out and hitting Naruto's sensitive prostate, Naruto came.

He tensed suddenly and shook with an overwhelm orgasm. "Uh…OH! Sas-Sasuke!" The feeling of Naruto in a grip around his cock was good and with a few more thrusts, Sasuke came too. His low frequency growl of "Naruto," blended with their pants for air.

He collapsed on top of Naruto and ignored the sticky feeling on his stomach. He couldn't move even if he wanted to. As the initial coital buzz faded and he felt his lung patterns return to normal he gently nuzzled Naruto's neck and just lay there, in comfort and completely satisfied with life. "Um Sasuke," Naruto asked cautiously.

"Yea," Sasuke slurred back.

"Could you do me two favours?"

"Mmm…sure."

"Please get out and off me." Naruto could barely keep from laughing as he said that and felt warm inside his heart as Sasuke hurriedly did so, tossing the used condom into a bin. The last of the Uchihas (as far as he was concerned) rolled to Naruto's side and just stared at the ceiling. He was slightly cold and they were both on the wrong side of the duvet.

A lone car could be heard slowly making it's way down the road and its headlights brought a new source of light into the room, illuminating -if only for a second- two people, side by side mimicking each other's position.

Two hands barely touching but together held the strongest bond between two people. It was so odd how different they were and yet apart they would never be complete.

"Sasuke?" Naruto whispered.

"Eh?" the Uchiha grunted back at him.

"It can be like this forever right? I mean you're not going to trash me now that we've, you know, done "it".' Naruto held his breath as he waited for a reply; it had to be said. To him it was one of the things that had to be voiced least it eat away at the atmosphere.

"Idiot." Sasuke rolled over onto his side and stroked the side of Naruto's face softly. He carefully moved stray hairs out of the way and as he spoke he smiled from his eyes. It was the first time Naruto had seen it happen. "I've told you so many times, I don't share what's _mine_ and I don't give up easily. Plus, I really do love you. Dobe."

"Oi! Stop calling me that bastard!

-WAIT! You…just spoke a damn monologue! I call that progress, I am such a good influence." Naruto laughed and tired to bite at Sasuke's hand playfully. Needless to say he failed.

"I've spoken more than that you know."

"All thanks to me I'm sure."

"Shut up."

"That all you got? Little bit of a weak comeback that."

"Challenge is it?" Naruto just grinned ear to ear before jumping off the bed and fleeing from the room. Clothes be damned.

Why does Monday sounded so much like the word "mundane?" Thick sheets of rain poured from the sky hitting every surface and bouncing off the black and grey tarmac of the high school.

School.

Naruto dreaded coming back, he would never admit it, but people always did have a tendency to look at him strange regardless of weather or not they liked him. They'd been away for a while and had definitely changed. He had checked himself in the mirror sixteen times before leaving the bastard's house, checking for any sort of visible mark, fixing his livening hair and of course making he had that trademark smile up to scratch.

Both had put on weight since they were discharged from the hospital, Naruto seemed to achieve this more easily than his boyfriend seeing as he ate like a herd of horses; The blonde vaguely remembered something about Sasuke saying he should go back to his own damn house.

He couldn't see the point. He'd only be back in a few hours anyway.

As the pair neared the entrance to their form room, they let go of each other's hands. Granted it was risky to do that in public, there was no one around. Yet.

"Together," they said in unison, before stepping over the threshold into an almost unknown world.

Naruto's eyes adjusted to the lights and noticed something weird, he couldn't quite place a finger on what it was but there was definitely something eerie about this 'now.' All faces in the classroom were turned towards them and each one held a different emotion on his or her face, it ranged from shining admiration and overwhelming infatuation to indifference, anger and relief.

Sasuke moved past him silently scowling at anyone before said person attempted to make conversation with him, he slid into his seat with effortless ease and stared silently ahead, he looked at no fixed point and after a minute of the tightening silence he glanced over at Naruto.

Naruto followed suit. Head held high.

"Welcome back, you two! Please catch up to all the studies you've missed!" Said Iruka-sensei through closed eyes, he had been worried that they were never going to make a come back but thankfully he had been proven wrong. Dammit, he owed 'that guy' a night of anything he wanted now. Life sure was tough.

Naruto toyed idly with his single wrist cuff, well by his we should understand it was Sasuke's, nearly everything Naruto had on him at present, belonged to the stoic teen. Maybe he should go home.

Eventually.

Minutes passed and only the occasional cluster of whispers would break the air. It was painful enough just being a bystander to this debacle. Naruto was about to say something to Sasuke when an envelope was thrown down in front of them. The passer just said "From Kiba" before returning to his comic. Something about a devastated tomorrow. Eden?

The envelope was pathetically sealed, it was brown but they both suspected it could have been white as some point, besides radiating a faint weird smell; it was from Kiba. What could the dog freak want? Sasuke sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose with one hand as he took the envelope with the other; it was too much hassle for a simple second first day of school.

Naruto watched with wide eyes and both hadn't realised the rest of the class had already forgotten them and went back to talking, singing or shouting loudly. He leaned in close as Sasuke opened it, if he didn't know any better (this is still up for debate he might not) he's say Sasuke was deliberately being melodramatic. "Oh hurry up already this aint some shoujo manga!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and didn't have enough time to recover when he saw what had been given to them. Inside the envelope was a set of seven photos, all of him and Naruto on what appeared to be the day of their discharge. They were standing close together at the bus stop, they were kissing and pinning each other. The pictures showed how far their relationship really did extend.

Naruto watched as Sasuke's hands shook and gripped the contents of the envelop even more tightly, he was creasing what looked liked photos…photos of them. Together.

"Shit!" he thought, "it's all over now. I knew it. Kiba. Prick. Over. Alone. Over." His though gradually decreasing in coherency and becoming just sharp words in his head. His hand fisted themselves in his shaggy blonder than the sun hair and his head hung low.

Sasuke stood slowly and was radiating rage. His eyes were narrowed and the contents of the envelope were crumpled almost beyond repair, his eyes searched out Kiba and when he found him he didn't know what enraged him more: this sick game that kid was playing or the smirk set deep on his face. He was ready to kill the brat when something caught his eye. Being tossed from hand to hand was a black film canister. Negatives. "Damn!" thought Sasuke, and he sighed in frustration before looking down to the shaking form of Naruto. "Sensei!" He shouted above the mess of voices, "I need to take Naruto to the medical room, he looks sick."

"Go, looks like your return was short lived huh?" Iruka went back to writing on some unfortunate child's test paper and let the two of them leave with no fuss.

Sasuke carried both of their bags and had encircled Naruto as they walked slowly to the roof of the school. It was their place. The only place. The sky was grey and spat down water at them as if it were disgusted at them too. The sat at their usual spot, Sasuke saying nothing as he just cradled the silent boy in him arms. The sky opened up a little bit more and plastered loose hair to their heads; neither one spoke a word but they both knew what had to be said. "It's over isn't it?" Asked Naruto, he was mumbling and that in itself scared Sasuke, he was used to a person a lot more passionate.

"I don't know Naruto. I'm sorry. I really don't want it to be," Sasuke closed his eyes and tilted his face into the rain as if to wash away the events of today.

"Me neither." Naruto moved in closer to Sasuke who was warmer than he was for once and if it was going to end then maybe at the very least he could enjoy today. He lifted his head and pecked Sasuke on the lips. It was chaste, sweet and innocent. As Sasuke moved to deepen the kiss the door to the roof slammed open. Both boys looked up to see a very smug looking Kiba standing there and surprisingly Sakura, who appeared a second later slightly out of breath. "I'm sorry you guys, I couldn't stop him." She hunched forward, weight on her knees as she panted for air.

"No worries, I want to deal with this vermin myself." Sasuke replied, he was masking a deadly tone with false politeness and for the first time since he set out, Kiba worried if this has been a good thing, I mean it was no secret what happened to the rest of the Uchiha family. Maybe it ran in the family. Sasuke moved Naruto off him and gently asked him in an undertone "Are you alright?"

Naruto nodded as he locked eyes with the tattooed canine enthusiast. "How could you?" he wanted to ask, no scream at him.

Sasuke stood and moved a few steps closer to the offender in all of this. "What do you want? What exactly is it you plan to achieve from all of this huh?"

Kiba looked slightly stunned at the forward aggressiveness that was directed at him and his eyes darted around as he thought up a good response. "I want you to do what I say or I show those photos to everyone here, everyone at that school over there and everyone who has access to the glorious internet." He finished with a little dramatic spin and small bow, this just had to work.

"No, you are not even worth the time I'm using to tell you you're worthless. Get out of my sight." Sasuke picked up his and Naruto's bags and walked to the door. "Naruto let's go, Sakura take care of this for me, please?"

"Oh gladly, I owe him one for the early morning jog." Sakura grinned and let them pass her, waving the pair through to the stairs. Kiba was stunned, they didn't care. He was so sure his plan would work and he would finally get somewhere in this school. Why didn't they care if everyone saw?

"Wait! Why don't you care?!" Kiba ran forward frantically only to be stopped by a swift punch to his gut. He stopped in his tracks. As he fell to the floor he realised that this pink haired chick was freakishly strong. As well as being down right demon like.

Naruto stopped and turned around with a pitying, sympathetic smile on his face. He walked to where Kiba lay and crouched down his level. "I guess I should thank you, he said he was never going to but now I know he's never giving me up but to answer your question, he-we don't care because sooner or later people would've realised anyway; the way we are together. We can never be apart or it kills us, we know the others pains and the others happiness. We are the two halves of a different whole and maybe you might understand this, together it all just fits. Good luck now!" Naruto jumped up and ran after Sasuke who had begun to walk away from this scene mid speech, "Geez what a way to kill the moment," Naruto thought. As he leapt down the second to last flight of stairs he thought he could vaguely make out something that sounded like metal denting.

Good luck indeed.

It was the last week of school before the Easter holidays, two weeks since they were discharged and a week since the 'Kiba Incident.' Kiba had come to school that day with so many injuries it was hard to see where the bruises ended and the swellings started. He was mess's mess. Sakura now had a reputation as being the one girl in the school you just do not get on the wrong side of, even Naruto and Sasuke had felt the pain of being on the receiving end of her punches. She was going easy on them she told them later.

Sasuke and Naruto hadn't told anyone but they felt no need to hide themselves either. No matter how much Naruto wished Sasuke would. Sasuke had cornered him between periods in the crowds of people that filtered past; he never had a chance. Naruto Uzumaki, future leader was quickly herded into the third floor boy's bathroom, rarely used and still pristine; it was the perfect place. Naruto sat on the counters where the sinks where digging in and gripping onto Sasuke's biceps tightly as his boyfriend pushed a third finger into him.

"I…I…Ohhhhhhh-" Naruto tried desperately to stifle himself but he was never good at self control.

"What do you want?" asked Sasuke, he used his free hand to undo his trousers, a non too easy feat when you have a hot writhing individual in front of you.

"St…stop! People will…

-HEAR!" as Sasuke rubbed Naruto's prostate, any effectiveness of his lovers anger was lost.

"You should be quieter then." Sasuke pulled out his fingers and Naruto moaned softly, he couldn't think properly.

"Bastard." Naruto pushed his hips forward trying to get more contact, anything to ease the tension in his lower half. Fuck people. They needed something to gossip about anyway.

"What. Do. You. Want?" Sasuke circled Naruto's entrance with a finger and kissed down his neck after every word.

"Please don't make me say it, I won't say it!" Naruto looked defiantly and attacked Sasuke's mouth, biting and nipping any place he could, he didn't care for sap now this moment was all lust. Sasuke squeezed his erection hard enough for it to feel uncomfortable and enough to make him stop. "Fuck it, I need this." he thought. "Sasuke, please. I need you to fuck me." He hated this but he always submitted. He must not hate it as much as he said.

"Anytime." Sasuke pushed into his boyfriend and buried himself to the end in one motion.

Outside near the small selection of tree Hinata and Sakura waited for their friends at break. "They said to meet them here, where the hell are they?" Sakura asked impatiently.

"We should probably just g-g-g-go, they have better things to d-d-do," stuttered Hinata. The left to go find other girls from their year and Sakura let the world know how peeved she was, she huffed and puffed all the way to the benches where their friends sat.

"Ah…hah…oh god!" Naruto, long abandoning the be quiet plan threw his head back as Sasuke thrust into him in rough motions. Short, shallow, long, hard. It was all there. "I…ohhhhh…love you!" Sasuke stoked him lightly and that was all it took to make him come. His clenching was enough to finish Sasuke soon after and they just waited there. Foreheads toughing breathing in each others scent.

Sasuke pulled out slowly and winced when he felt the involuntary flinch away from him. He must've been too rough. "You weren't" Naruto whispered as he fixed himself up, "I liked it."

"You're outrageous." Sasuke zipped his trousers up and washed his face and hands. Naruto tried to fix his hair, it was always a give a way when it came to sex. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hand as he tried to fix his shirt and entwined it with his own. He walked slowly and carefully to the door. They stood face to face and shared a swift kiss before unlocking the door and heading out still holding hands.

"Together."

They said in unison.

--

1 Karma being a bitch because he's thinking how cruelly he rejected Sakura and he was feeling what it could've been like when our dear Naru-chan shoved him off.

2 This is quite a vulgar word to me so bear in mind how hard it was to write this overly long sex scene.

_There we have it, I have completed my first child of a smutful takeover. I'm sorry it took so long, no wait I'm done apologising please just continue to come back to me. You know, that sex scene was quite long, I'm proud and all but I can't help feel I'm being greedy (so sexy mmm). An author loving her own work, 'tis the road of failure I tread. _

_Reviews are welcome, they help me get those "ten out of ten situations" too._

_Look out for my NEW story, coming to a site near you soon. It's better, they're older, darker and there's more of that lovely sex we love so much._

_;))) _

-Blub Blub-


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